PENANG, MALAYSIA: A tragic house fire in Tanjung Bungah, Penang has claimed the lives of 14 pet dogs, leaving the owner mourning the loss of his beloved animals.

A viral TikTok video captured the heart-wrenching aftermath, showing the owner’s grief as he recounted the devastating incident.

@maheswaranmuthiah

The worst tragedy in my life. My house burnt to ashes. 😭😭😭. Everything gone within an hour. I lost about 20k cash, training materials, banners, 2 professional dslr camera and equipments, commercial cooking equipments, commercial makeup learning equipments, canopy, mannequins, TV, blueray player, 2 hp, 3 laptops, my son’s ipad Pro 10, 1 pc, about 6 hardisks, 10 thumb drives, memory cards, 1 coffee machine, 1 coffee maker, letrik piano, exercise equipment, almost thousands of new and preloved novels, self development books, recipe books, IT Books, Law & Legal Books, skills development related to photography, makeup, tattoo, cooking, massage, entrepreneurship and etc books, 2 industrial fan, chiller, freezer, about 100+ academic/ appreciation certificates, reference letters, evaluation, recognition, modeling clothes, costumes, lingerie, 10 coat/ blazers, bags of ties, my business stocks like bliese perfume, air fresher, skincare product, toys, souvenirs, F&B, all my personal photo albums and belongings including all our clothes, puzzles, furnitures, book shelf, son’s toys and belongings, meditation/ yoga mate, crystals, rudraksha, grass cutting machine, water pressure pump, air purifier, water purifier, some jewelry, public gold coins and lots more…. But the worst of all is the lost of my 14 furrykids. My most precious children. All that I mentioned above is something I could rebuilt and recover. That I have to do for my 1 and only human son. But his siblings, my 14 children that perish in this unfortunate incident will not come back. This is an unbearable and unforgettable pain that will remain till the end of my life. 😭😭😭😭😭. An endless suffering in silent pain for me. 😭😭😭😭. #maheswaran #maheswaranmuthiah #furrykids #penang #malaysia #tragedy #crowdfund #pmx #chiefminister #chowkonyeow

♬ original sound – maheswaran – maheswaran

The fire allegedly occurred while the family was out for dinner, with no one present at home to rescue the pets.

The owner in response to concerning TikToker questions, speculated that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, but authorities have yet to confirm the exact cause, which remains under investigation.

In addition to the emotional toll, the fire also resulted in significant financial losses, with over RM20,000 (approximately US4,777) in cash and valuables destroyed.

“Everything was burnt to ashes within an hour,” the owner lamented.

While the dogs were not confined in cages, they were trapped inside the house, and despite neighbors being nearby, they were unable to intervene.

Firefighters on the scene advised bystanders to stay clear due to the risk of explosions.

The viral TikTok video has garnered widespread attention, with many netizens expressing their condolences and shock over the tragedy.

Comments on the post were filled with support, with some users reflecting on the irreplaceable loss of the pets and offering words of comfort.

CHINA: On Thursday (19 September), a social media user shared a video showing a giant panda named Ding Ding (丁丁) knocking down a zookeeper at Chongqing Zoo.

In response to inquiries, zoo staff confirmed that both the zookeeper and the 9-year-old panda were unharmed and that Ding Ding continues to be exhibited as usual.

The video, circulated on Chinese social media platform Weibo, shows a zookeeper noticing that Ding Ding was attempting to escape through a partially open gate. The zookeeper rushed to close the gate, which produced a loud noise.

However, the gate wasn’t fully secured, and Ding Ding can be seen trying to open it again.

Visitors alerted the zookeeper, who rushed back to shut the gate.

This action seemingly agitated the panda, who then turned its attention toward the zookeeper.

During a brief chase, Ding Ding knocked down the zookeeper.

In the footage, some visitors can be heard advising others to stay calm and avoid shouting.

This is not the first such incident at the zoo.

In April 2024, another panda knocked over another zookeeper.

The zoo’s management reported that on 23 April, at around 2:00 PM, a zookeeper was guiding two pandas, Yu Ke (渝可) and Yu Ai (渝爱), to a feeding area when they chased and knocked the zookeeper down.

Fortunately, neither the zookeeper nor the pandas were injured.

Following that event, the zoo held a safety meeting and implemented stricter feeding protocols to prevent similar incidents.

Chongqing Zoo is home to 23 giant pandas.

According to Chongqing Daily, the panda enclosure, which has undergone three rounds of expansion and renovation, now covers nearly 20,000 square meters and is one of the earliest panda breeding centers in China.