KUALA LUMPUR - "Going down into the hole... it was frightening, but this is the duty of a firefighter, to confront fear and put your trust in Him," said Fire and Rescue Department's Senior Fire Officer I Alimaddia Bukri, sharing moments from the firefighting team involved in the search for the victim of a sinkhole incident on Jalan Masjid India here.
"We had to dive in sewer water, the strong currents with zero visibility and limited access made the movement and search for victim challenging," he told Sinar on Sunday.
Alimaddia said that the rain also added risks for the rescue team during the operation.
"There are sewage drains and other pipelines in that hole... May Allah ease all our tasks.
"We have consulted and sought advice from related experts before making any decisions in this operation," he said.
He highlighted that their search and rescue operations are not based on race, religion, age, wealth, poverty, or nationality.
"We will do everything we can for anyone who is in distress or disaster, each of us has a very strong rescuer spirit.
"To the victims' families, do not worry... we will search for the victims as if we are searching and rescuing our own family members in distress," he said.
Alimaddia thanked the public who have prayed for the rescue team during the operation.
"Grateful to everyone who appreciates our work," he said.
Alimaddia also shared a 57-second video showing the real conditions faced by the Scuba Unit of the Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department.
On Friday, a 48-year-old Indian woman named Vijayaletchumy was reported missing after being a victim of a sinkhole approximately eight metres deep on Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur.
The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department received the report at 8.22am before a team from the Titiwangsa and Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue Stations was rushed to the scene.