130 left homeless by Teluk Telalo longhouse fire

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Residents surveying the damage to the longhouse.

Residents surveying the damage to the longhouse.

The fire spread quickly throughout the longhouse before firefighters arrived.

The fire spread quickly throughout the longhouse before firefighters arrived.

SIBU: Rumah Charles Egat at Teluk Telalo was gutted by a fire yesterday, leaving 130 residents from 14 families homeless.

A resident saw thick smoke rising from one of the ‘bilik’ around 2.30pm and alerted other residents to evacuate the building.

Residents could not save much of their belongings as the fire spread too quickly.

The fire station at Central Road sent out eight firefighters, while the Sungai Merah fire station sent six firefighters.

However, when they arrived the longhouse was already badly burnt.

The Welfare Department and other government agencies have registered those affected to provide them with aid.

Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh is expected to visit the fire victims today.

As of press time, the cause of the fire and losses were still being ascertained.