| Hakim Hayat |
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy became the victim of a fire that ravaged the top floor of a two-storey house in STKRJ Kampong Tungku Gadong yesterday afternoon.
The boy, who was trapped in a bedroom on the second floor as the fire rapidly spread, was rescued by Fire and Rescue Department personnel.
He was later rushed by paramedics to the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) said a pathologist report indicated that the boy died from smoke inhalation and 20-30 per cent burns on his body.
One of the house occupants who was at work during the incident told the Bulletin that five out of seven of his family members were inside the house including the victim when the fire occurred. “As soon as I heard about the news, I quickly rushed back home and learnt that my nephew was trapped inside the master bedroom,” said the man who was visibly shaken.
The Fire and Rescue Department team at the scene. – HAKIM HAYAT
According to Assistant Superintendent Nooraflan bin Haji Awang Kachi, Deputy Commanding Officer of Operation ‘C’ of the Fire and Rescue Department who was one of the leading personnel in the rescue mission yesterday, the four other occupants managed to escape from the house but the boy was unfortunately trapped, and they managed to rescue him within minutes before the fire was put out.
The Fire and Rescue Department responded to the distress call made at 2.58pm and deployed 20 personnel and four fire engines from its Fire Stations in Kampong Rimba and Bandar Seri Begawan, according to Assistant Superintendent Nooraflan. He added that initial investigations revealed that the fire was likely caused by children in the house playing with fire using matches, and the amount of losses is still under investigation.
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