SANDAKAN – After an arduous three days, a 39-year-old man who had climbed onto the roof of the four-storey Sejati Ujana Apartment at Mile 7 on Monday, was successfully rescued by the Fire and Rescue Department this afternoon.
Having spent at least 64 hours on the roof, the man was immediately rushed to the Duchess of Kent Hospital for a health inspection following the rescue at 1.06pm today.
The Sandakan firefighters strategically waited until the man fell asleep on the roof before deploying a team of five firefighters to carry out the rescue operation.
Sandakan district police chief Abdul Fuad Abdul Malek, confirmed that the man was a foreign national and reassured that no one was harmed during the rescue operation.
“The persuading session began on the first day, prioritising the safety of the victim. The successful resolution of the last persuading session led to the rescue,” he said.
Fuad stated that the motive behind the man staying on the roof is still under investigation.
He highlighted that the rescue efforts took longer than expected due to safety concerns for the security personnel involved in the rescue.
“The Fire and Rescue Department, police, and healthcare personnel from the hospital have been dedicated to this operation for three days,” Fuad added.
Before the rescue effort, the man’s family and friends had continuously tried to persuade him to accept assistance from the firefighters, but he consistently refused.
When rescue attempts were made, the man avoided the officers by moving to the opposite side of the roof.
Throughout the four days, the man accepted drinks but rejected food from the firefighters. The rescue team was also unable to take drastic action as the man wielded metal rods.
The man was also seen performing his prayers on the roof yesterday evening.
Reports suggest that he is married with a baby, and family members brought the baby to the scene this morning around 11am.
However, the man only waved at his baby and turned away. – February 15, 2024.