Bomba: ‘Weak’ safety features at pond where three children drowned in Sibu Jaya

SIBU (Jan 5): The deaths of three children who drowned in a retention and oxidation pond near the Sibu Jaya flats have once again raised serious concerns over long-standing safety lapses at high-risk locations, particularly sites with a history of similar incidents.

Sibu Fire and Rescue (Bomba) Zone 4 chief Andy Alie said the pond had long been identified as a prohibited and hazardous area and was previously fitted with perimeter fencing and warning signage following a drowning incident at the same location in 2019.

“Despite these measures, the safety controls were no longer effective due to repeated vandalism and the lack of consistent monitoring,” he said when contacted.

Andy explained that the fencing had been damaged multiple times, allowing unrestricted access and exposing the public, especially children, to serious danger.

“Our risk assessment considers water depth, pond size, fence integrity, access points and the visibility of warning signs. In this case, most of these critical safety elements were weak or had failed altogether,” he said.

He stressed that the pond posed a high drowning risk due to inadequate fencing, missing or unclear warning signs, and the absence of effective measures to prevent trespassing.

Andy also cited social negligence as a contributing factor, noting that insufficient parental supervision remained a concern despite the site being officially designated as a restricted area.

“This is not an isolated incident. When tragedy recurs at the same location years later, it shows that early warnings were not taken seriously and that safety issues were allowed to persist without a comprehensive solution,” he said.

Following the incident, Bomba called for immediate action, including rebuilding durable fencing, installing permanent and clearly visible warning signs, and ensuring continuous enforcement rather than reactive measures taken only after tragedies occur.

Andy said regular monitoring by the local authority, supported by the police, was crucial to keep restricted areas secure and free from unauthorised entry.

He added that while Bomba would continue to intensify community safety awareness programmes, particularly on water safety, these efforts must be supported by physical safeguards and consistent enforcement.

“Effective prevention requires strong cooperation among multiple agencies, including local councils, the police and the Health Ministry, as well as shared responsibility from the community to respect safety restrictions,” he said.

“Safety issues cannot be addressed reactively. The loss of children’s lives should never be the price paid for delayed action,” he added.

On Wednesday, three children were confirmed dead after they were believed to have fallen into a sewage pond located about 100 metres from the Sibu Jaya flats.

They were identified as Macx Devdynne Sharie Merdeka, 12; Macx Welwait Merdeka, 9; and Daniella Arissa Tayas Maringgai, 10.

The Sarawak Bomba Operations Centre said it received an emergency call at 4.03pm, prompting firefighters from the Sibu Jaya fire station to be dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, members of the public had already recovered the victims from the pond, estimated to be about two metres deep.

Medical personnel later confirmed all three children had died at the scene.