KUALA LUMPUR, May 18--A man was buried alive after a landslide destroyed a furniture warehouse in Jalan Kampung Melayu, Sungai Buloh here yesterday.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Mohd Sani Harul said the landslide occurred after heavy rain in the morning, trapping several workers in the warehouse.

The workers managed to escape but Bangaldeshi Abdul Kassim, 43, was buried alive.

“We received a distress call by an employee of a nearby furniture shop at about 10.50am,” Mohd Sani said.

“We got there 10 minutes later and most of the warehouse was already buried under earth and mud.”

He said about 80 personnel from police, Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, Malaysian Civil Defence Department and Shah Alam Municipal Council were involved in the search-and- rescue operation.

Abdul Kassim’s body was recovered under a pile of zinc.

“We believe he had died from suffocation. His body was sent to Sungai Buloh Hospital for a post-mortem,” Mohd Sanwi said.

A witness, who identified herself as Nita, 28, said she was in the shop next door when she heard a loud noise.

“I ran out and saw soil covering the back of the warehouse. I saw two of the warehouse’s employees trapped under a pile of furniture and I rushed to get help from people in the area,” she said.

Nita, who said she had known Abdul Kassim for about four years, said he had planned to return to Bangladesh in July.

“He was planning to marry his fiancee when he returns home.”

Myanmar national Abdul Rahman, 20, said he was lucky to be alive after being trapped under a cabinet for almost half an hour.

“I was at the warehouse to deliver some furniture. One minute I was carrying furniture and the next I was under it. It was scary,” he said.

Abdul Rahman said he knew Abdul Kassim well as they had worked together.

“I am sad he is no longer around,” he said.