SON UNDER INTERROGATION FOR FIERY DEATH OF MOTHER AND CHILD IN BUTTERWORTH

BUTTERWORTH, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- Police have detained a man who survived the deadly house fire which killed a woman and her adopted child in Taman Rathna, Telok Air Tawar, here on Dec 10, which is believed to involve criminal elements.

Penang police chief Datuk Azizee Ismail said the man in his 20s, who is also the woman's son, has been remanded for seven days from today until Dec 25 to assist in the investigation into the case.

"Police investigation found that the blaze, which killed the two victims, had criminal elements, and as a result, we have arrested the man who is related to the victims to assist in the investigation.

"Police have obtained a remand order for the man who is currently receiving treatment at the Seberang Jaya Hospital (HSJ) and further investigation is being conducted under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder," he said when contacted by Bernama today.

He added that the bodies of the woman and her adopted child are still at the Forensic Unit of the Kepala Batas Hospital (HKB) and cannot be claimed yet by family members as they are still awaiting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing for official confirmation.

In the blaze, Hayani Yaakob, in her 50s, and her adopted daughter known as Andra, aged five, were trapped in the burning house and died, while her son was injured when the roof collapsed.

Media reported that the fire department received a call at 9.41 am and found the bodies of the two victims in the living room near the main door, while her son was found near the kitchen door before being taken to HSJ for treatment.

-- BERNAMA