MUAR, March 30 — The police will weigh all possibilities, including negligence, as part of their investigations into the deaths of four children in a house fire in Kampung Sabak Awor here late last night.

Muar district police chief Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz said that investigators are waiting for the results of the post-mortems, which are expected to be carried out later today, as well as the Fire and Rescue Department’s forensic report on the cause of the fire.

He said once the reports have been received, an investigation paper will be prepared and sent to the public prosecutor’s office.

"The investigation papers will only be submitted to the public prosecutor for further investigation if investigators find that there were elements of negligence or unintentional crime during the fire.

"However, based on initial investigations, police have not ruled out the possibility that the fire was caused by a short circuit in the kitchen, pending further examination,” said Raiz Mukhliz when met by reporters at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital’s (HPSF) forensic department today.

A voice recording of his comments was made available to the media.

Raiz Mukhliz was commenting on the deaths of four siblings, two boys and two girls, aged between three and eight, who were killed when a fire broke out at their home along Jalan Ismail in Kampung Sabak Awor here at about 7.49pm yesterday.

The deceased siblings have been identified as Puteri Aisyah Tenko To, eight; Mohd Hakim, six; Mustakim, four; and Fatihah Aisyah, three.

Yesterday, it was reported that 20 firefighters from the Muar and Bukit Gambir Fire and Rescue stations were dispatched to the scene.

However, the children could not be saved, and their bodies were found by firemen in the bathroom.

It is understood that the children’s parents were at work when the fire broke out.

The blaze destroyed about 80 per cent of the property.