ALOR SETAR: The three victims killed in the karaoke fire in Jalan Putra Mergong here were trapped in the two-storey building and could not escape in time.

       State Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Syufa’at Kamaron said they had difficulty locating the victims during the rescue operation as there were too many rooms.

       “After the owner briefed us on the layout, we managed to find all the victims,” he said yesterday.

       Syufa’at said the first body was found at 12.39pm inside the VVIP room on the ground floor while the second and third bodies were located in another VVIP room at 12.58pm and 1.13pm, also on the ground floor.

       The victims were identified as Kim Mei Kit, 31, Mark Barry, 32, and Jeffrey Tan Yan Wei, 30.

       “We are still investigating the cause of death, but we believe they died from smoke inhalation after being trapped,” he said.

       Twenty-one firemen rushed to the scene after the department received a distress call at 10.19am. Volunteer firefighting squads were also involved in the operation.