Elderly woman dies minutes after being rescued from burning longhouse

SIBU - A woman in her 90s died minutes after she was rescued from a blazing longhouse in Nanga Masak, Ulu Katibas, Kapit, about 200 km from here, yesterday.

Song district police chief Deputy Superintendent SP Rowney Michael Jalak said Tungtuk Angol died soon after residents brought her out of Rumah Panjang Sebom.

"Witnesses said she was still alive when she was taken out of the longhouse. However, she died a few minutes later,” he said when contacted today.

Rowney said preliminary investigations did not find any elements of foul play and the body had been sent to Hospital Kapit for a post-mortem.

Sibu Zone Fire and Rescue Department head Andy Alie said according to residents, Tungtuk was sick and weak.

He said the department received an emergency call at 4.45pm but firemen from Song only reached the scene at 8.32 pm because of its remote location.

"The longhouse was completely razed when firemen reached the scene. As a result, they could only carry out inspections to ensure there were no new fire outbreaks,” he added. - BERNAMA