SIBU: A 58-year-old man was found dead, believed to have been electrocuted, during a fire at Jalan Kuok Tiong, Sungai Bidut here last night (Jan 15).
According to Zone 4 Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) chief Andy Alie, the victim was found in a ditch near the scene of the incident.
“The victim is believed to have been electrocuted as there was still an active electrical current in the waterlogged area.
“Meanwhile, two other occupants of the house, an 80-year-old senior citizen, managed to escape to safety, while another elderly person, aged 81, was not at home at the time of the incident,” he said in a statement today.
Andy said they received a distress call at 7.50 pm, and a team of 14 firefighters rushed to the scene.
“Upon arrival, it was found that a residential house measuring approximately 30 feet by 30 feet was completely engulfed in flames,” he said.
The fire department contacted SESCO to cut off the electricity supply to the location, and firefighting operations were carried out using water pumped from a nearby ditch.
“The situation was brought under control at 8.14 pm. After extinguishing the fire, the victim was retrieved and handed over to the police,” he said.
The operation ended at 9.28 pm.
The cause of the fire and the total losses incurred are under investigation.
