Fake Social Media Claims That Injured Fireman Dead

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The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department refuted claims circulating on social media that its personnel Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim has died.

“News of the death of a Fire and Rescue Department personnel on social media is untrue.

“He is in stable condition and let us pray together for his recovery,” it said in a Twitter posting.

The department also shared a picture of the fake posting by one ‘Zack Ma’, who claimed to have received information that the officer had died.

Muhammad Adib, 24, was critically injured after a mob attacked him near the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya this morning.

He was one of the medical services personnel with the Fire and Rescue Department dispatched to the scene.

The mob had dragged him out of his vehicle and assaulted him, resulting in Muhammad Adib suffering fractures and internal injuries.

He is currently undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of Subang Jaya Medical Centre.

Suffering from broken ribs, he is unconscious and unable to breathe on his own and has been put on life support.

Adib is being observed by five specialist doctors.

It is understood that his family members and fiancee are currently at the hospital with him.

Adib and his fiancee Nurul Najihan were planning to get married next month.

“I suspect he was involved in a stampede. His ribs are broken, and this has affected his lungs. He’s got trouble breathing,” she told reporters.

In a Facebook posting, Nurul said she did not have the strength to see her loved one in this condition.

“You’re strong. wake up soon Muhammad Adib.

“Pray for my fiance. I do not have a strength to see you like this,” she added.

Nurul also shared photographs of Adib on social media.

According to Fire and Rescue Department director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid, who visited Adib in hospital, the fireman’s colleagues did not realise that he was missing until they returned to the station.

“When they stopped their vehicles and the front crew alighted, people came towards them and started attacking the vehicles. On the commander’s instructions, they retreated,” he added.

Upon realising that Adib was not with them, his colleagues called his mobile phone and a stranger answered and told them that Adib was being rushed to hospital.

Hamdan said the rioters threw stones as well as attacked a fire engine and Adib’s vehicle with pieces of wood and steel rods, smashing the windows, side mirrors and doors. The emergency medical response service (EMRS) vehicle that Adib was in is similar to an ambulance.

He said it was during this chaos that Adib was dragged out of the vehicle and assaulted.

Hamdan said Adib’s partner, who did not realise that the victim was not in the vehicle, sped off in order to flee from the mob.

“They did not leave him behind. They were in a ‘kelam kabut‘ (confusing) situation. We predict that if they had stayed there longer, more could have been hurt.

“The crowd came suddenly, even when things had calmed down. This means it could have been planned, we are not sure,” he added.

According to Hamdan, Adib’s lungs are failing. He sustained injuries to his chest and abdomen.

“He has bruises all over, on his abdomen and chest. We suspect that is the cause for his fractured ribs which punctured his lungs and affected his intestines,” he said.

Hamdan said the team were traumatised by the experience but it had not affected their commitment to carry out their responsibilities.

“We will do whatever we can to save people’s lives – regardless of their background – even if it means gambling with our own lives,” he said.

Meanwhile, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who was also at the hospital, said he was saddened by the incident.

He said the state government would be taking care of Adib’s medical bills.