IPOH: An elderly woman and her daughter with a vision disability have been killed in a fire in a hut at Kampung Air Ganda in Gerik.

       Gerik OCPD Supt Zulkifli Mahmood said the bodies of the victims, aged 76 and 43, were found after the fire had died down on Monday (Jan 1) at about 7am.

       Supt Zulkifli said having spoken with the elderly woman's husband, the fire was believed to have started at about 4am.

       "The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen.

       "The husband had tried to rescue his wife and daughter but was unable to do so," he said in a statement on Monday (Jan 1).

       "The man then tried to get help from the nearest village but returned to find the fire had already burned down the house," he said, adding that the hut was located in a rural area that could only be reached via a dirt road.

       Supt Zulkifli said the post-mortem on both victims that was conducted at the Gerik Hospital found that the cause of death was "death of burn".

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       "There were no other injuries found on the bodies or foul play.

       "The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and is being investigated by the Fire and Rescue Department," he said, adding that a report was made by the elderly woman's 37-year-old son at about 8.15am on the same day.

       Supt Zulkifli said the hut was built by the husband near their farm.

       "It had solar lighting and cooking facilities," he said, adding that the case has been classified as sudden death.

       "The bodies of both victims have been reclaimed by the family for funeral rites," he added.