KOTA KINABALU: An elderly woman died in a late-night house fire in Sabah’s northern Kudat district on Sunday (Oct 6).
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department officials said the victim, who lived in the double-storey house at Kg Pituru, was identified as Lo Hiong Lan, 76.
According to Kudat fire station chief Ishak Jabas, Lo’s charred remains were found in the living room on the ground floor not long after firemen arrived.
Part of the burnt house.
“Based on where the victim was found, we believe she was trying to escape from the burning house,” he said when contacted on Monday (Oct 7).
He said according to neighbours, the fire started before 9pm but firemen only received the distress call at 10.10pm.
They arrived at the scene, some 45km away and accessible by gravel road, at 10.46pm.
Ishak said villagers helped them put out the fire, which was already dying down when the firefighters arrived.
The house and a vehicle parked beside it were destroyed, he added.
The burnt down house.
Ishak said it was possible that the villagers did not realise the victim’s house was on fire sooner as it was some distance from the nearest neighbour.
“The property was on private land surrounded by oil palm trees, with minimal telecommunication lines in (the area),” he added.
He said the victim’s remains were handed over to police while overhauling (the search for hidden fires or other potential hazards) ended at 2.25am with no further fire risks found.
