KUCHING: A middle-aged couple was killed in a fire at Stampin Resettlement Scheme here at about 3am yesterday.
SMOKING: All that’s left of the couple’s house at Stampin resettlement area.
It was believed that the deceased, aged 59 and 54, were both sound asleep and by the time they awoke to the fire, it was already too late. The couple, who live on their own, left behind four children.
A source said the eldest son would occasionally stay over and the couple would have escaped had he done so that night.
Two children of the deceased broke down in sobs when the bodies were removed from the scene.
The Fire Service and Rescue Department (Bomba) was as usual blamed for late arrival at the scene of the fire. A few residents claimed the fire engine came 20 minutes after the fire started.
The firemen wasted another 15 minutes looking for the fire hydrant, and by then, the fire had engulfed the whole building with the front portion destroyed.
But an official from Bomba refuted this, saying the fire engine arrived at the scene within 13 minutes, and that “it was not late” then.
The Tabuan Jaya Fire Station said it received a call at 2.52am and the fire engine departed two minutes later, taking 10 minutes to reach the scene.
The official further pointed out that the rescue team had no problem locating the fire hydrant or with the water pressure.
He also said even if water pressure was low, the water stored in the fire engine could have been used to put out the fire.