KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysia): When her 3-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter told her they had heard an "explosion", Rokiah Hussain ignored them. A few minutes later, the children began shouting "fire" but this time, Rokiah took notice.

The 27-year-old housewife was lying on a bed and reading a book; her husband was asleep.

Rokiah's 18-year-old sister was asleep in another room in the three-bedroom unit on the 14th floor of the Danau Kota flats in Setapak while the two children were playing in the living room.

At 8.30am, the children shouted about some noise.

"I ignored their shouts. But a few minutes later, they shouted 'fire' and I decided to check this," said Rokiah.

When she came out of her room, she saw flames and smoke coming from the third room, in the back of the unit, and alerted her husband.

"He tried to douse the fire with water but the flames became bigger and he burnt his hand. He ordered us out of the unit.

"My husband told us to leave all our important documents but carried out the cooking gas cylinder from the kitchen next to the burning room, fearing it might explode."

Firemen from the Setapak, Jalan Hang Tuah and Chow Kit fire stations doused the flames in 10 minutes.

Rokiah believed the "explosion" her children heard must have been caused by a short circuit.

"Ever since we moved in, our electrical appliances have become faulty because of the wiring. The problem persists even after repairs."

A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said firemen had to force open a fire hose cabinet which was locked on the 14th floor of the 19-floor block.

"No maintenance worker was around at the time and residents informed us the office was closed on weekends."