Tuesday, 19 October 2010

Student burnt in gas blast, fire damages seven houses

GEORGE TOWN: A 15-year-old student suffered burns on his face and body after a cooking gas cylinder exploded in Kampung Bagan Jermal near Jalan Tanjung Tokong here.

Khalid Ibni Alwalid Mohd Hashim, a Form Three student of St Xaviers Institution, was said to be preparing dinner in the kitchen alone when the blast occurred at 10.20pm on Thursday.

He has been warded at the intensive care unit of Penang Hospital and is in stable condition.

It is learnt that a gas leak might have caused the blast which blew off part of the kitchen roof.

The place then caught fire which spread to six adjacent units, all under a single home address, and left more than 30 people from eight families homeless.

An uncle of Khalid, Mohamad Hasan Pitchay, 55, said he saw thick smoke billowing from the house on his return from an outing with friends.

“On opening the door, I heard an explosion and saw Khalid crying and running out from the kitchen,” he said when met at the scene.

A cousin Nur Fazieyatun Ismail, 24, said firemen rushed the victim to the hospital in a 4WD.

They put out the fire in 25 minutes.

Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai gave the affected families RM500 each.

He said they would stay at a community hall nearby pending assistance from the Welfare Department.

“The district officer has been called in to assess the damage. A report will then be submitted to the district office for the next course of action,” he said.

The Star
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/10/16/north/7238585&sec=north

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