Police detain man who torched own house

Police have detained a 34-year-old man for setting fire to his own house at Taman Ros, Mantin near here at 7.15pm last night.

Nilai District Police chief Supt Zaldino Zaludin said the man who was living alone was detained at 8pm the same night.

"Initial investigations found the suspect negative for drugs but was in a drunken state and depressed after being dismissed from his job," he said in a statement here today.

He said the suspect''s father told police that his son had, earlier before the incident threatened to kill him and burn his house down.

"The father then heard the suspect shouting that he was burning his own house," said Zaldino.

The case is being investigated under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to seven years imprisonment or a fine or both, on conviction.

Meanwhile, Mantin Fire and Rescue Station operation officer Azmi Hamid said six firefighters arrived at the scene following an emergency call at 8.37pm and took 20 minutes to douse the flames.

"When the team arrived, the flames were blazing but no fatality was reported. The fire razed 80 per cent of the house," he said, adding that the estimated loss was being investigated. - BERNAMA