Penang fire and rescue department zone 1 chief Jamil Abdullah said 40 firemen were deployed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at about 4.10am.

“Upon arriving at the scene, the fire had engulfed the shophouse. We were informed that one person was trapped inside,” he said, according to Berita Harian.

He said the firemen managed to control the blaze at about 4.45am and found the body in the ground floor bathroom.

Based on information from the public, he said, the victim was believed to be a disabled man, but his personal particulars were unclear.

Jamil said the shoplot was believed to have been used to store second-hand goods.

He said they were informed by the owner that it did not have any electricity supply, and that lighted candles may have caused the fire.

It was the third fire-related death in Penang this week. Yesterday, a disabled woman died in a fire at Kampung Alma in Bukit Mertajam, and on Monday, a seven-year-old girl was found dead after a fire at Kampung Pisang in Jalan Paya Terubong.