Kpg Bahagia Jaya fire leaves 42 homeless

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HELPLESS: Residents of Kampung Bahagia Jaya in Sibu can only look at a house of their fellow villagers being engulfed in flames. Fire struck five houses at the village early yesterday, razing two of them to the ground and causing serious damage on the remaining three. No casualty was reported. — Photo by Anna Siaw

HELPLESS: Residents of Kampung Bahagia Jaya in Sibu can only look at a house of their fellow villagers being engulfed in flames. Fire struck five houses at the village early yesterday, razing two of them to the ground and causing serious damage on the remaining three. No casualty was reported. — Photo by Anna Siaw

SIBU: Forty-two people were made homeless when a fire swept through five wooden houses in Kampung Bahagia Jaya early yesterday.

When the fire broke out at 1.45am, most residents were asleep and awoken by shouts and rushed out, salvaging nearly nothing as the flames spread fast.

Two houses were gutted and three partially burnt.

The fire was said to have spread from the house of 79-year-old Wahid Abang.

Kampung Bahagia Jaya penghulu Ikhram Kassim told Bernama that the fire was believed to have been caused by a short circuit but the actual cause was still unclear as Bomba is investigating.

Wahid said the blaze spread so fast, they could save nothing. Gone were all his properties, including three cars and a badly burnt motorcycle.

Three families were occupying his house, including the families of his two sons-in-law.

For survivor Osman Saini, he said when the fire occured, his family ran helter skelter and saving only a gas cylinder and a motorcycle.

“All our other belongings went up in flames.”

Another survivor Mohd Safuan said he and his family, including his wife and two sons, saved nothing.

“Not only did the fire spread fast, the smoke was thick and it was dark,” said the 57-year-old burger seller who has been renting the house for four years.

Fire chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid said they received the distress call at 1.59am and rushed over in two engines.

He said the fire was at its height when they arrived but the firemen managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to other homes.

Two residents in tearful embrace.

Two residents in tearful embrace.

The fire at its height as it sweeps through five wooden houses in Kampung Bahagia.

The fire at its height as it sweeps through five wooden houses in Kampung Bahagia.