After firemen had doused the flames of the first fire, the suspect returned to set the house ablaze again.
A senior citizen, who lives alone in Johor Bahru while his family stays in Singapore, is believed to have set his rented house ablaze after the landlord told him to vacate the premises. After firemen had doused the flames, he returned to the scene to try and set it ablaze again.
Larkin Fire Rescue and Department deputy chief Mohd Suhaimi Abdul Jamal said five fire engines from two stations, with 28 firemen, rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 12.10am yesterday and managed to bring the blaze under control.
However, the officers had to rush back after they were informed that the man had returned to burn the house again at Jalan Maju 3, Taman Pelangi.
“We managed to arrest the individual and handed him over to the Taman Pelangi police station,” said Suhaimi.
“The fire is believed to have started in the living room of the house and, based on information from neighbours, the man in his 60s, is alleged to have set fire to his rented house before fleeing.
“When firemen arrived at the scene, we found two single-storey houses on fire. The house where the fire started was about 80% destroyed while 10% of the adjacent house was damaged,” he said.
No casualties were reported.
According to a neighbour, the suspect, whose wife and children are in Singapore, was believed to be suffering from depression and was asked to vacate the house by yesterday.
Meanwhile, Johor Bahru Selatan district police chief Mohd Padzli Mohd Zain, when contacted, confirmed the incident and said that police are carrying out further investigations.