A 58-year-old man was found dead in a drain near a house destroyed in a fire at Jalan Kok Tiong, Sungai Bidut, last night.
The victim, identified as Ngu Hieng Sie, was discovered lying face-up in a water-filled drain near the scene of the fire. Fire and Rescue Department Sibu Zone head, Andy Alie, confirmed the incident in a statement today.
According to Andy, the department received a distress call about the fire at 7:50 PM. A team from the Sungai Merah Fire and Rescue Station was immediately dispatched to the location.
"The team found the man in the water-filled drain near the location of the fire. He is believed to have been electrocuted because when a check was conducted, there was still electric flow there," he explained.
The body was subsequently handed over to the police for further investigation. Authorities are working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
It was also reported that one of the house's occupants managed to escape unharmed before the fire engulfed the property.
Source: FMT