SANDAKAN: A 76-year-old man died after being buried by a landslide while attempting to start a generator during a power outage at a hotel in Sandakan early Wednesday (March 11) morning.
The incident occurred at 6.39am following heavy rain that caused a blackout at the premises.
According to the Sandakan Fire and Rescue Department senior operation officer Jimmy Lagung, hotel staff members had attempted to activate a generator located behind the building when the landslide occurred.
Witnesses at the scene said the victim, identified as Agustine Frederick J Lingam, was partially buried by soil while trying to start the generator.
Firefighters arriving at the scene conducted a size-up and found the victim trapped with half of his body buried under the collapsed earth.
A team from the Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station used shovels to remove the soil and successfully extricated the victim at 7.14am.
However, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel from the Health Ministry.
The body was later handed over to police for further action.
A total of 10 firefighters were deployed to the scene, led by operations commander PBK I Haris Mustapha, with assistance from Jimmy Lagung and Sandakan zone officer Mohd Faizal Wahid.
The operation was brought under control and concluded at 8.19am after authorities secured the area and confirmed there were no further hazards.
