KUALA TERENGGANU - A trader suffered a loss of almost RM1 million when his two shops were destroyed in a fire that razed eight shops in a row in Jalan Hiliran here last night.
Nik Mohd Kamil Abu Bakar, 37, said that in the 10.15 pm incident, he had just closed his shops and was still in the nearby area before being told that his shops caught fire.
"I closed the shops a little early at 10 pm because I want to celebrate Aidiladha tomorrow before I went around looking for children's clothes. About 15 minutes later someone told me my bicycle shop caught fire.
"I rushed to the shop and saw the fire at the back of the bicycle shop and did not have time to save anything because the flame spread so quickly,' he said when met by Bernama at the scene last night.
He said his other shop that sold clothes next door was not spared either and only a small number of items could be salvaged.
"I just placed a stock of new items because I want to open another bicycle shop in Gong Badak after Aidiladha. Now all are destroyed in the fire. A big test for me on the eve of Aidiladha. I accept it as fate," he said.
Meanwhile, a fire and rescue department source said that the department received a report at about 10.40 pm and rushed to the scene.
"When we arrived at the location, the bicycle shop was destroyed by fire (the location where the fire started). The cause of the fire is still under investigation," she said.
About 30 firefighters and four fire engines were rushed to the scene and they took about 30 minutes to control the fire. - Bernama