Senior citizen in Kapit injures head, breaks ankle escaping from landslip

KAPIT (Dec 9): A senior citizen was badly injured in a fall while trying to save himself during a landslip at a house in Taman Sebuluh Kilo 5 in Pelajau, here early today.

Kapit fire station chief Timoty Barat said the victim, in his 60s, suffered an injury to his head and a fractured ankle in the incident.

“We received an emergency call at 12.53am and rushed a team of eight to the scene.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered the landslip occurred at the kitchen area which caused a brick wall at the house to collapse,” he said in a statement.

Timothy said after assessing the situation, firefighters deemed the house unsafe due to fear of more landslips in the event of continuous heavy rain.

The occupants, he said, were directed to evacuate and are currently putting up with a relative.

Meanwhile, the house owner’s wife, who identified herself only as Lina, 42, informed that the victim – her father-in-law – is currently receiving treatment at Kapit Hospital and would be referred to Sibu Hospital for surgery on his broken ankle.

“We were watching television at the time when we heard a loud bang in the kitchen around midnight, causing all of us to run out of the house.

“Following my father-in-law’s fall, I contacted my brother-in-law who came over and sent him to Kapit Hospital,” she said.

Lina added that she, her three children aged seven to 15 years, and mother-in-law were unscathed in the incident.