Firefighters controlling the blaze that destroyed seven wooden houses at Kampung Lembisan in Putatan.
KOTA KINABALU: An elderly man was killed in a fire that also destroyed seven wooden houses at Kampung Lembisan in Putatan yesterday.
The charred remains of Sarulai Ompoit @ Jimmy, 86, was discovered by firefighters while carrying out investigation at the scene.
Fire and Rescue operation chief Rudy Mekii said 20 firefighters from Sembulan and Penampang, rushed to the scene upon receiving a distress call at 2.50pm.
“Three wooden houses were razed to the ground while two semi-wooden houses were partly destroyed in the blaze,” he said yesterday.
Firefighters managed to control the blaze by 4.30pm and found the charred remains of the victim in one of the houses.
“We immediately handed the body to the police for further action,” he said, adding that the whole operation ended about an hour later.
The cause of the fire and total loss are still under investigation.