KOTA KINABALU, Jan 6 — A senior citizen was declared dead after he was found inside a locked car near a housing area along Jalan Bukit Temasu here yesterday.

According to a Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson, a four-man team rushed to the scene upon being informed at 10.03am.

"The team found an unconscious senior citizen inside a locked Perodua Viva, which still had the engine running, and opened the car door using special equipment.

"The unidentified 69-year-old man was pronounced dead by medical officers at the scene, and the body was handed over to police for further action,” he said in a statement.

In a separate case, five people were rescued from a flood near Kampung Babangkong Masapol, Sipitang the same day.

The spokesperson said a team from the Sipitang Fire and Rescue Station arrived at the location at 12.30am after receiving a distress call ten minutes earlier.

"Five victims, comprising a man, a woman, two boys and a girl, were sent to the temporary relief centre at Mesapol mini hall via boat.

"Monitoring will continue at areas where water levels are rising,” he said. — The Borneo Post