SMOULDERING: A fireman douses water on the burnt section of the sawmill.
LIMBANG: A sawmill at Jalan Pandaruan, Limbang was partially destroyed in a fire at noon Tuesday, causing RM0.5 million in losses.
It was the first fire reported in Limbang District this year.
Fast action by Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) stopped the fire from spreading and destroying the entire sawmill.
Limbang fire chief Anuar Shazad Merdzuki said no casualties were reported in the fire and investigation was underway to ascertain the cause, including the possibility of negligence.
“We do not rule out the human factor as the factory owner left a kettle of water to boil unattended on a gas stove while checking out a workshop,” he said.
“A team of five officers will pore through the clues to ascertain the cause of the fire, and the investigation is expected to be completed within 21 days.”
The fire spread rapidly and engulfed a stockpile of timber near the five-room worker quarters as the team of 14 firemen fought to bring it under control.
They received an emergency call at 12.13 pm. The fire was brought under control at 12.55pm and the operation called off at 2.18pm.
Anuar said the availability of water from nearby Pandaruan River separating Limbang from Brunei’s Temburong District was a big help in containing the blaze.