MIRI – A man became enraged and attacked a firefighter, knocking him over before he was restrained by other individuals.
The incident took place at a village in Lawas yesterday afternoon (June 19) where the firefighter was trying to put out the fire.
Out of nowhere, the man, clad in a purple shirt, came charging towards the firefighter and violently tackled him, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto the ground.
Another firefighter, presumably the cameraperson, immediately aimed his water hose towards the attacker and drove him away.
Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Khairuddin Drahman confirmed the incident and said that this was the first time a firefighter was assaulted while on duty.
He added that the firefighter made a police report at 9.14 pm and the man was brought to the police station for interrogation.
According to the man, he was unable to control his emotions after he saw his ancestral home being burnt into a crisp and lashed it out on the firefighter.
He has also apologised for his behavior and settled the matter with the firefighter privately.
“We hope the public will respect and understand the tasks and responsibilities of firefighters in overcoming any incident, especially those involving fires,” said Khairuddin.
Watch the video here:
Shortly after the video’s release on Facebook, it garnered 45K views within eight hours. Netizens were furious over the man’s outburst and praised the firefighter for his professionalism.
Sources: SinChew
Editor: Raymond Chen
Proofreader: Sarah Yeoh
