Firemen battling the blaze that swept through homes at the squatter areas in Kampung Tanah Merah, Habib Abd Rahman Road and Block 10 Kampung Titingan.
TAWAU: About 300 squatter houses were estimated to have been destroyed by fire in two squatter areas at Kampung Titingan early yesterday morning.
Acting station chief of Tawau fire and rescue department, Faisal Ahmad, said the fire broke out at the squatter areas of Kampung Tanah Merah, Habib Abd Rahman Road and Block 10 Kampung Titingan.
He said, the department received a distress call at 1.33 am and 34 firemen in five vehicles were immediately despatched reaching the scene at 1.39 am. The fire was put under control by 5.39 am.
Faisal said firemen had some difficulties as water pressure was low and the wooden houses were built in close proximity which made the fire spread quickly.
The fire was believed to have started from a house at Kampung Titingan before it quickly spread to Kampung Tanah Merah located nearby.
The department’s fire fighting effort was helped by eighteen policemen and ten personnel from the civil defence department.
He said so far no casualties have been reported while the cause of the fire and estimated losses are being investigated.
Mohd Sudin, 39, said his only concern was his family, and rushed his wife and children out of their house to safer grounds.
“I did not manage to save much of our belongings and these included my son’s school books and uniforms. He was unable to attend class at SK Jambatan Putih this morning as he has no uniforms and books,” he said, recalling the incident.
However, he said he was grateful that all of them were safe though his worries would be building a new home and buying new books for his son who is in Form Three.
Another victim who wanted to be known only as Shane, said his family and several others were lucky as their houses were safe from the fire which were only three other houses away from the fire.
However, he said his neighbours were unfortunate as they were not at home as they worked in a camp and lost everything in the fire.
Meanwhile, Tawau Municipal Council president Alijus Sipil said the District Disaster Committee had held a meeting and had streamlined the food and drinks aid for a period of three days.
The aid would be from Apas assemblyman on Wednesday, and for Thursday and Friday, the aid would be from the Tawau parliamentary,” he said.
Alijus said the committee also agreed to use the Mile 2 multi-purpose hall as a temporary placement centre for the victims, and would be controlled by the Civil Defence Department (JPAM).
Aid to the victims should be channelled to JPAM and other aid to be channelled through the Tawau Natural Disaster Committee could be channelled to the Tawau Municipal Council president’s office.
He said according to the latest census carried out by the Social Welfare Department and JPAM at Al Madani Mosque, which ended at 5pm yesterday, the total houses involved were 183 houses and 1,216 victims.