Umar Sidee, 66, risked his life to save eight grandchildren and a son from a house fire in Kampung Jeriah Abang Ramli, Jalan Oya Lama, Sibu, on Monday morning, June 8, 2026, around 11 am [1, 2, 3].
Umar and his wife were tending their orchard about six metres away from the two-storey semi-permanent house when the fire broke out [1, 2, 3]. The house housed 19 family members from three households. The grandchildren, aged between four and 14, were watching television on the ground floor, while the son, in his 20s, was upstairs [1, 2, 3].
Hearing explosions and flames spreading from the back of the house, Umar ran inside to rescue the children and wake his son [1, 2, 3]. "Although I am already elderly, all I could think about at that moment was the safety of my grandchildren and son. Thankfully, everyone got out safely," Umar said [1].
He had built and expanded the house gradually over nearly four decades, with completion in 2025 [1, 2, 3]. Umar retired from the Malaysian Armed Forces in 1995 and later worked at the Public Works Department starting in 2003 [2, 3].
Firefighters arrived shortly after the fire began and ordered residents to move away as the blaze intensified, preventing further attempts to fight it [1, 2, 3]. The fire destroyed the home, along with important documents and valuables, but no lives were lost [1, 2, 3].
The family was left homeless with only the clothes they were wearing. Umar said, "What matters most is that my children and grandchildren are safe. Possessions can be replaced, but loved ones cannot" [2].
The fire occurred at 11 am on June 8, with firefighting efforts quickly limited to evacuation due to the dangerous conditions [1, 2, 3]. The community and authorities now face the challenge of supporting the family in rebuilding after their loss.
