Lew Joo Hing, 60, suffered 40% burns, while Lim Beng Lay, 58, had 80% burns on her body.

Penang fire and rescue department operations commander Hirman Mat Rodzi said his team received the distress call at 1.15pm about the fire.

“On arrival, we found that one of the rooms in the house was on fire. The couple was already outside the flat, with burns to their face, arms and body.

“The firefighters doused the flames at 1.37pm,” he said.

Hirman said according to the husband, he was climbing up the stairs to his flat when he saw smoke emanating from his home and raced up to save his wife.

“It was the husband’s quick action that saved his wife from a fiery death, as the woman was in a state of shock.

“The husband sustained burns on his face and hands while the wife suffered burns to nearly her entire body.

“Both of them were taken to the Penang Hospital for further treatment,” he said, adding that the cause of the fire had not been determined yet.