The fire in Kampung Sentosa at its height.
SIBU: Three houses at Kampung Sentosa here were destroyed by fire on Monday night, leaving 11 people homeless.
Firefighters, who rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call, proceeded to contain the spread of the fire, which was already at its height then.
Police were also at the site.
It is learned that two house owners are enforcement officers of Sibu Municipal Council (SMC), while another is a security personnel.
Structurally, the houses were built next to one another in a row.
It is said that the house belonging to one SMC officer, sited between the other two, was the first to catch fire around 9pm.
It is also learnt that two months prior, the officer’s father passed away.
At the time of the Monday night incident, the SMC officer and his family were at his longhouse in Pakan attending a ceremony held in remembrance of his late father.
It is reported that the fire spread so fast that the occupants could not salvage much of their belongings, including a car belonging to one of the families.