27-door Kenyah longhouse goes up in smoke

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The fire razing Uma Badeng Asmidy Agau in Long Urun.

The fire razing Uma Badeng Asmidy Agau in Long Urun.

BINTULU: A raging fire razed 27-door Uma Badeng Asmidy Agau in Long Urun, a Kenyah longhouse in Belaga with over 200 residents, around 12.10pm yesterday.

Bintulu Fire and Rescue station chief Unjar Lum, when contacted, said the station despatched a fire engine and four fire fighters to the scene upon receiving a distress call from Hulu Rajang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong at around 12.53pm.

He expected the team to arrive there around 6pm as it would take three hours to reach Asap from Bintulu and a further two hours from there to reach Long Urun.

Meanwhile, Belaga police chief DSP Melay Tingom, when contacted, said the 27-door longhouse was completely burned to the ground and the fire was believed to have started from the kitchen of one of the rooms.

He said currently Maren Uma Asmidy Agau Lerang was still in Miri and he was told that the Murum assemblyman Chukpai Kennedy Ugon together with Social Welfare Department would be visiting the fire victims soon.

According to him, the fire could have started from an exploding gas cylinder an elderly woman was using for cooking.

“There was no casualty reported because only few residents were in the longhouse during the incident,” said Melay.

Salo Lenchau, 51, a teacher who lodged the police report, said around 12pm while he was at SK Long Urun on his way to his class, he was informed by other teachers and pupils that a thick, black smoke was billowing from Uma Badeng Asmidy Agau Long Urun.

“We rushed to the longhouse and upon arrival at the scene, the longhouse was already destroyed by fire, during that time we didn’t know how many doors were involved but so far no casualty was reported,” said Salo in his report at 2.15pm at Belaga police station.

Meanwhile, Ugak, who had rushed to the scene, was out of reach by phone.

On the other hand, Chukpai, when contacted, told The Borneo Post that he could only reach the longhouse by today.

“However, the PRS youth of Murum are already heading to the longhouse bringing immediate relief such as water and food.

“And tomorrow (today), I will reach there with the officers from the District Office, Welfare Office and Rotary Club of Bintulu to bring in more food, drinks, clothing and cooking utensils,” said Chukpai, who is PRS Murum youth chief.

“I will also give affected victims a sum of RM20,000 for them to use to buy other necessities and stuff which they need for temporary relief.

“This amount is not meant for building materials to rebuild the longhouse. That allocation will come later,” he added.

Pemanca Umek Jeno of Sungai Asap said there are at least eight longhouses in Long Urun. The rural settlement is occupied by the Penan and Orang Ulu communities.

“Presently, the affected 27 families are staying with their relatives and friends in other longhouses in Long Urun,” said Umek when contacted.