By Nancy Nais
MUKAH, Sept 14: The fire that destroyed a five-door longhouse at Sebakong Mukah last night was allegedly caused by one of its occupants.
Rh Tingang Anjang was completely razed to ashes, rendering 37 people from seven families homeless.
Sarawak Fire and Rescue department (Bomba) operations centre (PGO) said they received the emergency call at 11.56pm.
The Mukah fire station, located 27 km away, was notified of the fire and six firefighters were dispatched to the scene. They had to use open water sources to contain the fire.
“According to initial investigation and information obtained from the occupants, the fire was believed to have been intentionally set ablaze by a male resident.
“He had earlier threatened to kill himself when police arrived. The fire broke out after police personnel left the scene,” the statement said.
The statement added that the suspect has fled into a nearby forest after the incident.
The exact cause of his actions are yet to be ascertained, whether the accused was of unsound mind or acting under pressure, it continued.
No injuries were reported. — DayakDaily
