MIRI – Some 180 native folks in a remote longhouse called Rumah Jeff in the deep interior of Marudi district in northern Sarawak escaped with their lives in a fiery blaze that gutted their settlement.
The fire late last night fire saw the longhouse located at Bukit Limau, populated by 24 families, razed, the state Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said.
The site is so isolated that there are no mobile networks available there.
Firefighters had to travel from Marudi town in their vehicles via rugged terrains.
They then had to walk a long distance by foot to reach the longhouse.
“All the residents in the longhouse managed to escape the fire without serious injuries.
“Bomba teams are still on site helping the victims.
“The location is far away and there is no telecommunication coverage,” said the department today in its latest report.
In the meantime, in a separate fire in Sibu district in central Sarawak, 12 people from three families escaped without injuries from their burning homes in Kg Jeriah near Sibu town.
The fire yesterday evening saw their houses completely razed.
Welfare authorities have been informed of the plight of the victims in Rumah Jeff and Kg Jariah. – The Vibes, April 6, 2021
