Volunteer fireman drowns in Lahat Mines lake

IPOH - The body of a member of the Volunteer Fire Brigade (PBS) who was feared drowned after falling into a lake at the Lahat Mines near Pasir Puteh on Sunday was found last night.

Perak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the victim, Ka-Jun Cheng Siew, 25, a member of PBS Menglembu, was found at about 10.18pm by the fire and rescue team while conducting a surface search at the lake.

"The victim was found by the fire and rescue team carrying out a surface search where he was floating about 70 metres from the bank near the location he was believed to have submerged,” he said in a statement on Monday night.

On Sunday, the Perak JBPM received information on the incident at 7.27pm before a team from the Pasir Puteh and Ipoh fire and rescue stations rushed to the location with assistance from PBS Menglembu, Pekan Baru and Pasir Pinji.

The victim was reported to have been conducting training and boat-testing activities at the lake with his team since 4pm, involving 16 PBS members and three boats.

Meanwhile, Perak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Sayani Saidon, during a visit to the site said the victim was initially reported to have been wearing a personal flotation device (PFD) at the start of the training.

However, when the training was nearly completed at about 7.10pm, the victim boarded the boat again without wearing the PFD.

She said the victim had boarded the boat with a driver before both were believed to have fallen into the lake when the driver made a U-turn in the middle of the lake.

The driver attempted to save the victim but also fell into the lake. He was later rescued by other PBS members, while the victim was believed to have submerged before being found - BERNAMA