THE young firefighter brushed the “dust” from his boots as he sat on a plastic chair, staring at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah building in Kg Datuk Keramat, where he helped remove the bodies of 23 young tahfiz pupils and teachers in the morning.

Mohd Osman Aziz was sweating profusely under the afternoon sun but that did not bother him in the least.

More disturbing was the dust that caked the boots and coated the skin, mixed with sweat.

“This is not dust, these are ashes from the burnt bodies and the remains I picked up earlier. They were very young,” he said, trying to stay calm.

He, however, could not shake off the image of the charred remains and burned flesh of the young victims.

All he could think about was his younger brother. His brother, the fourth of seven siblings, is studying at a tahfiz school in Terengganu.

“I looked at the bodies and it reminded me of my younger siblings. It affected me. But I had to remain calm and composed,” said Osman.

The 25-year-old was part of the first team from the Keramat Fire and Rescue Department despatched to the scene yesterday.

He and his colleague Rahim Mohd Rashid, 26, rushed into the building to rescue those about to jump from the second floor of the building. The second floor housed the dormitory where the 23 bodies were found.

After rescuing five youngsters, including a baby, he went up to the dormitory after being told more pupils were still trapped there.

“The place was in total darkness with thick smoke everywhere, the stench of burnt flesh was unbearable.

“It was almost 6am, the fire was brought under control. I could still feel the heat but I went on.

“I then saw the bodies. I cannot remember where and how many. Many were piled up, as though they huddled together before they met their end. There were some lying on top of others, there were also bodies scattered in corners.

“I did not move anything until the forensic team came.”

His colleague, Rahim, remembered slightly more.

His uniform was also covered in ashes. He patted the uniform lightly to get it off.

“It would be a lie if I say I did not feel anything. I am human, too. Can you imagine seeing bodies of young victims like that? In that big number? I saw that this morning. Lump in my throat but no tears. Sadness? Definitely,” he said.

He said some of the bodies were huddled together under the bed close to the wall, another group was on the other side of the dormitory also huddled together.

“I can only imagine their fear. All I could do at that point was to treat the bodies with utmost respect, they were dead but still, I recited prayers as I carried their remains out.”

His superior, Hamzah Aziz, shared the same sentiment.

“People ask if I were numb from seeing what I saw. No one can say they are not feeling anything, everyone who entered the room shed tears that was how devastated we were,” he said.

Twenty-one pupils and two wardens died in the fire. Fourteen managed to escape.

A resident, who was the earliest to arrive at the scene, said he heard screams but could do nothing as the doors were engulfed in flames. He said he saw several pupils jump out and others climb down the pipes.

Four pupils are in critical condition, while three others sustained minor injuries. They are being treated at Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

Until last night, none of the 23 victims has been identified because they were badly burnt. The Health Ministry said DNA identification will be carried out and the results out later today.

According to the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department, the fire is believed to have started at 5.10am on the top floor of the building, which housed the dormitory.

Director Khirudin Drahman said the department is investigating the possibility that the fire was caused by mischief. – September 15, 2017.