‘I went up to the gate, my wife was already gone’: M'sian woman, 55, dies after headscarf caught in roller

A Malaysian woman died after her headscarf became entangled in the roller of a floodgate she was closing in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Selaton Nuri, 55, was a floodgate operator with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

She was at the floodgate near a hotel to close it following a high tide when the accident happened, according to New Straits Times (NST).

What happened

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the department received a distress call at 3:35pm, and a team of five firefighters from the Sabak Bernam station was sent to the scene.

He said in a statement:

"Upon arrival at the Grand Sabak Hotel floodgate, the operation commander reported that the woman, a Drainage and Irrigation Department worker was found lying on the floodgate. Initial investigations found that the victim's headscarf had become entangled in the gate roller."

She was pronounced dead by Health Ministry personnel.

Sabak Bernam district police chief superintendent Md Yusof Ahmad said police received a report at about 4pm.

He said: "The victim was at the location to close the floodgate following a high tide. However, an accident occurred, resulting in the woman's death."

The case has been classified as sudden death.

Her body was taken to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Jemaah Sabak Bernam for a post-mortem.

Husband was asleep after night shift

Her husband, Basar Maslan, 63, a security guard at the Sabak Bernam District Education Office, had been working night shifts for the two days before she died and had not managed to see her, according to NST.

He was sleeping at home when his son-in-law called.

He said:

"My son-in-law asked me to check on my wife. Still half-asleep and with numb legs, I forced myself to drive to the scene. Upon arriving, I went up to the gate and saw that my wife was already gone. There was nothing I could do except wait for the police and ambulance to arrive."

The couple has six children aged between 23 and 36. Basar said their second child had been with Selaton at the floodgate.

He said he had spoken to her that morning when he got home from work.

He said:

"Yesterday morning, when I returned from work, I called and asked where she was. She said she was having a drink with our child, and mentioned plans to go to the market, visit someone, and finally head to the floodgate. After that, I tried calling her several times but failed."

21 years as a gatekeeper

Basar said his wife had worked as a gatekeeper for 21 years, and had wanted to perform the haj.

She had been waiting for her turn to make the pilgrimage.

He said: "She was a good, generous person who loved to help others. She could not stand seeing people in difficulty."