VILLAGERS in the remote Orang Ulu settlement in Long Bangan in the Apoh region of Baram valiantly battled a 5am fire yesterday to prevent it from spreading.
They succeeded but not before a block of 14 homes was razed, leaving 14 families homeless three days before Gawai rice harvest festival.
The villagers had to fend for themselves as the nearest fire station was 250km away in Marudi town.
Marudi Fire and Rescue Department chief Maureen Sim, and it took two investigators six hours to log the roads to reach the settlement to probe into the cause of the blaze.
In her report, Sim said “no firefighting operations were carried out as the fire had been completely extinguished” by the time they arrived.
The department reported that the villagers “used every available water source” to bring the fire under control.
The Marudi fire station's log showed it was informed of the fire by the village chief of Long Leng around 9am the same day.
Sim and the two fire investigators immediately set off, reaching Long Bangan around 3pm.
In her report, Sim said the roads were treacherous and the journey slow as some sections were slippery due to rain while the dry sections were dusty, which impaired visibility.
There is no telecommunication service in that part of Sarawak. – May 29, 2024.
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