Three-year-old girl dies in Lahad Datu fire

 

Fire burnt down 11 houses on stilts and killed a three-year-old girl at a Lahad Datu coastal village on Tuesday.

KOTA KINABALU: A three-year-old girl died in a blaze that burnt down 11 houses at a Lahad Datu coastal village on Tuesday morning (April 19).

The charred remains of the child were found in her cradle by public members, where the victim’s family members proceeded to move her body to be sent to the hospital, as firefighters continue to put out the blaze.

Earlier, the Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 9.52am alerting the fire that caught houses on stilts at Kampung Sabah Baru Peringkat 1, Jalan Tungku Lahad Datu there.

Preliminary hypothesis believed that the fire started in the deceased’s house kitchen and was sparked by the gas stove, according to a Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson.

Besides the 11 house units completely destroyed, four houses were also damaged when they were used as firebreaks to stop the fire from spreading, added the spokesperson.

The fire was under control at 10.55am and the operation at the scene was ended at 1.15pm. - Star