Mar 12, 2010

Boy, three, dies in blaze, seven houses gutted

KOTA KINABALU: A three-year-old boy perished in a fire that destroyed seven houses in Lahad Datu.

Adiputra Yusuf was believed to have been sleeping when the fire broke out at Kampung Sepagaya in Jalan Silam about 5pm on Wednesday.

The child’s family members and neighbours tried in vain to enter the house as the fire, aided by strong winds, spread quickly.

“They tried to go into the house to save the child but the flames were too strong,” said Dayang Marisa Muhiddin, 24, a neighbour.

The child was alone in the house as the mother had apparently gone out to run some errands.

Firemen found the charred remains of Adiputra in one of the rooms of the house.

Marisa said when the fire broke out, she immediately grabbed her daughter and elderly parents and ran out of their house.

“I saw people trying to enter Adiputra’s house but it was too late,” she added.

Lahad Datu Fire Station acting chief Abu Bakar Traji said they were investigating the cause of the fire.