By Y.C. Lim

PENANG: Last night, 17 year old twins were killed in a fire at Kampung Pisang that burnt down five terrace houses and two shop lots.

     The Paya Terubong Voluntary Fire Bridgade responded to the fire and arrived at the scene within five minutes, but the fire had already spread beyond control.

     Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire was started by a gas leak and the twins, Mohamad Azal and Ali Azal, were unfortunate to be in the vicinity of the explsion and were unable to escape in time.

     Cause of the gas leak is still pending further investigation and at the mean time, survivors and victims of the fire will be temporarily relocated to a nearby school, said Fire Investigator, Abdullah Zamri.

     "There are suspicions of foul play as eye eitness saw two suspicious persons entered the house where the suspected gas leak occurs and left moments before the explosion that started the fire.

     "We have had our sketch artict working ewith the eye witness who also provided us with the number plate of the suspect's car,"said Chief Investigator Zamri Ali.