ELDERLY MAN BURNT TO DEATH IN HOUSE FIRE IN SARIKEI

SIBU,  Nov 16  (Bernama) -- An elderly man was found charred in the bedroom of a non-permanent structure house that was destroyed in a fire at Jalan Minah, Sarikei, near here early today.

Sarikei Fire and Rescue Station Chief, Arrahman Chik, said the body of Teng King Kai, 97, was found under a pile of fire debris in the bedroom at 2.18 am and then handed over to the police for further action.

He said the station received an emergency call about the fire at 12.33 am and an Operations Response Team (PKO) was deployed to the location, which is about five kilometres away, arriving there about five minutes later.

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A team from the Bintangor fire and rescue station was also mobilised to the scene to assist in the operation, bringing the total strength of personnel from both stations to 16, he said.

The house was occupied by six people, but at the time of the incident, only five were at home. Of the five occupants, four managed to escape. The deceased is the houseowner," he said in a statement today.

Arrahman said the survivors consisted of the deceased’s son, aged 72, two women aged 49 and 51, and a 12-year-old girl.

The fire also destroyed a storage shed and two vehicles, a Perodua Aruz and a Toyota Unser, he said, adding that the fire extinguishing operation was hampered by low water pressure, as well as poor lighting. The operation ended at 4.55 am.

-- BERNAMA