Fire Dept: Two men found dead in separate incidents in Penang drain and Perak river

The Bomba Malaysia and Rescue emblem displayed on a fire truck. June 26, 2025—Picture by Raymond Manuel

First Published: Friday, 11 Sep 2026 7:45 PM MYT

BUTTERWORTH, Sept 11 — Two men were found dead in separate incidents in Penang and Perak today, one in a drain near a school here and the other in Sungai Perak.

The body of Ooi Chai Siang, 37, was found in a drain about 1.5 metres deep near Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tun Hussein Onn in Taman Kelisa Emas here today.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Operations assistant director John Sagun Francis said the department received a call from the police at 12.10pm requesting assistance to retrieve the body.

“A team from the Perai Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) proceeded to the location and, upon arrival, found a man in the drain. The operation commander then instructed firefighters wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) to retrieve the body,” he said in a statement today.

He said the body was handed over to the police for further action and later sent to the hospital for a post-mortem to determine the actual cause of death.

In Ipoh, the body of a 38-year-old man feared drowned after jumping into Sungai Perak to retrieve his boat, which had drifted away from a fish cage yesterday, was found this afternoon.

Perak JBPM Operations assistant director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the body was found at 2pm, about four kilometres from the spot where he had jumped at Batu 18, Kampung Kuchai, near Bota Kiri.

“The search operation resumed this morning, involving 30 personnel, including the K9 Unit and Water Rescue Team (PPDA), within a six-kilometre radius along the river.

“The victim’s body was subsequently found floating by the PPDA team and brought ashore before being handed over to the police for further action,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier, Sabarodzi said the incident occurred at about 5pm yesterday when the man jumped into Sungai Perak to retrieve his boat. His nephew had attempted to rescue him, but the effort was unsuccessful. — Bernama