Man dies in Tongod fire, 29 houses destroyed

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The fire in Kampung Batung Pinangah, Tongod also destroyed a kindergarten and two vehicles.

SANDAKAN: A 63-year-old man died in a fire which destroyed 29 houses in Kampung Batung Pinangah, Tongod, last Tuesday.

The Sabah Fire & Rescue Department said yesterday Eng Suan King @ John Philip was rushed to a nearby hospital by members of the public before the firefighters arrived but died during treatment.

The fire, which started at about 5.30 pm, also destroyed a kindergarten and two vehicles and damaged the Tongod Health Clinic quarters, it said in a statement.

It said the department’s operations centre received a distress call at 5.35 pm and a team of firefighters from the Kota Kinabatangan Fire & Rescue Station and another from the Sandakan station rushed to the village, located about 180 km away.

The firefighters, led by operations commander Ahmad Khairul Aris, brought the fire under control at 9.50 pm, it said.

The cause of the fire and damage have yet to be determined. – Bernama