DOUSING THE FIRE: Firemen dousing the blaze to stop it from spreading to nearby houses in Kampung Temangis in Lawas.
LAWAS: A morning fire destroyed a two storey-house in Kampung Temangis, Lawas Damit, leaving 22 victims from four families homeless.
Lawas Fire and Rescue Department chief Zaki Hussin said the fire station received a phone call about the fire at 7.16am, and immediately sent a team of eight firefighters and a tender engine to the scene.
The fire was brought under control and prevented from spreading to nearby houses within half an hour.
Initial investigation indicated that it could have been caused by a candle in a bathroom upstairs.
A grandmother and an expecting mother with three children were in the house at the time of the incident while other family members had gone to school or were at work.
Accompanied by Lawas district officer Mohd Supaih Hamdan, Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong, went to the scene to hand over a personal donation of RM1,000 and console the family.
Welfare Department officers were also at the scene to assess the form of assistance needed by the victims.
Sum said it was fortunate that there was no loss of life, and advised victims to cooperate with the relevant government agencies in facilitating the delivery of assistance to alleviate their sufferings.