SEPANG - Three men are believed to have been killed after being struck by lightning in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi here on Monday.
Sepang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Norhizam Bahaman confirmed the incident when contacted.
He said it is believed to have happened after the three victims finished repairing a vehicle and took shelter under a tree.
“The three victims are aged 26, 18 and 16. The bodies have been taken to Hospital Sultan Idris Shah (HSIS) Serdang for further action.
The victims, who died at about 3.30pm, were siblings Mohamad Ahzam Marusin, 16, and his elder brother Mohd Sahrif, 26, as well as their cousin Mohammad Safwan Aksan, 18.
“The three of them were very close. Wherever one went, the others would always be there too,” said family member Haris Salleh Kurais, 42, when met by reporters in Putrajaya.
He said the trio often spent time together, particularly when pursuing their hobbies and activities.
“Yes, they were very close. Wherever one of them went, the others would follow. For example, if one of them was working on a motorcycle, the others would join him,” he said.
Haris Salleh said he received a call about the incident at around 4.30pm and was shocked by the news.
“The last time I saw them was two days ago when we went to the beach. I was very close to them and they were always afraid of me and somewhat reserved around me,” he said.
He said the remains of all three would be brought home to Semporna, Sabah, after the post-mortem examinations were completed.
Family members and friends began gathering at the Forensic Unit of HSIS Serdang from 8pm to await the post-mortem results.
Earlier, several videos went viral on social media showing three bodies covered with batik cloth lying under a tree during heavy rain.