KOTA KINABALU: A married couple’s sahur (pre-dawn meal) plans were left in tatters after the gas cylinder exploded in their home in Sabah’s east coast Tawau district on Tuesday (March 28).
They were cooking in the fourth-floor unit of the Semarak People’s Housing Project when the incident occurred sometime after 3am.
Hernawati Juda, 40, sustained burns to her body, arms and face while her husband Mesran Lamalee suffered burns to his legs.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said they were alerted to the incident at 3.36am, and a team rushed to the location.
The spokesman said the explosion caused substantial damage to the unit.
Neighbours helped to put out the blaze using fire extinguishers before the team’s arrival, he added.
“The victims were sent to Hospital Tawau in an emergency medical response service vehicle and an ambulance for treatment,” the spokesman said, adding that the operation ended at 4.10am after the team assessed the scene and determined there were no further risks.
