SIBU, May 8 — A 52-year-old maintenance worker died while cleaning a electrical transmission tower site at Jalan Paradom/Tanjung Genting in Bintangor yesterday.

Sibu police chief ACP Zulkipli Suhaili said the police received a call from Sibu Civil Defence Force (APM) at 3.15pm informing about a man who fell unconscious while on duty inside a forest at Jalan Paradom/Tanjung Genting.

"Police investigation found the man, who is a local, together with a few other workers were tasked to do maintenance and cleaning works of the transmission tower at the location for Sarawak Energy,” he said in a statement.

Zulkipli said according to a witness, the weather was scorching hot during the incident.

"The victim entered and soaked inside a river nearby. When he got out of the water, he complaint that he felt like wanting to faint before falling unconscious,” he added.

Zukipli said the victim pronounced dead by the paramedics from the Sibu Hospital at 4.59pm and his body was sent to Sibu Hospital mortuary for further action.

The case is being classified as sudden death. — Borneo Post Online