KOTA KINABALU: A three-year-old girl died in a blaze that burnt down 11 houses at a Lahad Datu coastal village near here.

       The charred remains of the child was found in her cradle yesterday morning after firefighters put out the blaze.

       Earlier, the Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 9.52am about the fire that swept through houses on stilts at Kampung Sabah Baru Peringkat 1 at Jalan Tungku, Lahad Datu.

       According to the Fire Department spokesman, preliminary hypothesis showed that the fire started from the deceased’s kitchen, and was sparked by the gas stove.

       Besides the 11 houses that were completely destroyed, four houses were also damaged when they were used as firebreaks to stop the fire from spreading, added the spokesman.

       The fire was brought under control by 10.55am, and the operation ended at 1.15pm.