KOTA KINABALU – Dozens of families lost their homes in a midnight fire in Kg Tg Aru near here as 33 makeshift houses were destroyed.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, firemen had a hard time extinguishing the blaze due to low water pressure from a nearby fire hydrant.
The hydrant was also obstructed by a sundry shop, which resulted in the firefighters taking more than 2½ hours to extinguish the blaze.
The department is still determining the fire cause of the fire but noted there were no casualties in the incident.
A villager, Samsiah Jumat, 51, who saw her house engulfed by flames in just an hour, said she could not save any of her belongings.
“The fire started about 12am and grew big in just half an hour. The RM300 in my wallet, some jewellery, television and the refrigerator are all gone.
“The houses were built so close to each other and this is why it spread so quickly,” said Samsiah, adding she was about to sleep when the incident occurred.
She said none of her family members were hurt, adding that she has a 6-year-old daughter and an 8-month-old infant, as well as a 72-year-old mother living with her.
Julia Petrus, 33, meanwhile, said she, too, was about to sleep when the incident happened.
“I was playing with my handphone when I heard noises outside. People were screaming and I could hear running outside. I woke up my husband when I saw fire.
“I was able to salvage important documents,” said Julia, adding her husband and five children were sleeping at the time.
Sabah Community Development and People’s Well-being Minister Shahelmy Yahya, who visited the site this morning, said that registration of the fire victims have already started.
He said a temporary shelter has also been set up to help the victims and aid will be distributed to them once their data have been collected.
“I noticed the fire hydrant was also obstructed and we want the local authorities to ensure that the hydrants are well maintained.
“We don’t want another incident where fire extinguishing work is hampered by such issues.” – The Vibes, May 25, 2021
