Two-year old girl killed, 11 houses destroyed in Lahad Datu fire

LAHAD DATU: A two-year-old girl was found charred in a fire involving 11 houses on water in Kampung Sabah Baru, Jalan Nipah here this morning.

Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) chief Sumsoa Rashid said the body of Nurul Alisha Putri Abdullah was found after the fire was extinguished.

"The Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Station received a distress call via MERS999 regarding a house on fire in the village at 9.52 am and firemen immediately rushed to the location," he told Bernama here today.

However, his personnel had difficulty entering the fire area due to the dilapidated and narrow bridge.

Apart from that, he said firefighters had to tear down four houses with the help of the villagers, to stop the fire from spreading.

He said the fire was brought under control at 10.55 am with the help of Kunak Fire Station as well as the Malaysian Armed Forces, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd, Civil Defence Force, police, and villagers.

Meanwhile, the girl's uncle, Alsad Albani, 32, said the incident happened quickly and they did not realise that the house was on fire until he saw the blaze raging from one of the rooms in the house.

"When I saw the flame, I shouted to other family members to save themselves, unfortunately, we forgot Alisha was sleeping in a hammock in another room," he said tearfully.

-- BERNAMA