KUANTAN: An elderly man experienced breathing difficulties while trying to escape from a fire which razed six double storey shophouses at Jalan Wong Ah Jang here today.
The 56-year-old man who was believed to be occupying the first floor of the premises was sent to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here for further treatment.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department public relations officer Zulfadli Zakaria said 21 firemen from the Kuantan, Indera Mahkota and Taman Tas were deployed to the scene after being alerted to the incident at about 3.40pm.
"Firemen managed to prevent the fire from spreading further and destroying other buildings along the stretch. They managed to bring the fire under control about 5.30pm.
"Four shophouses were badly burnt while two premises were about 30 per cent damaged. Firemen are still carrying out inspections at the scene," he said in a statement today.
Several videos and images of the fire incident had gone viral with thick black smoke billowing from the row of burning shophouses while some of the victims were captured trying to flee the burning premises.