30 houses in Sandakan water village destroyed by fire

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SANDAKAN: About 30 squatter houses were destroyed in a fire in Kampung Sundang Laut, a water village in Batu Sapi on Wednesday morning.

Sandakan Zone Fire and Rescue Department chief Martin Thomas said they received an emergency call at 7.55 am and a team with four fire engines arrived at the scene 17 minutes later.

He said the fire was brought under control at 9.17 am and no injuries or fatalities were reported, while the cause of the fire was still under investigation.

Firefighters, with help of the villagers, had to employ the fire-break method to stop fire from spreading by demolishing affected houses and bridges, he told reporters at the scene.

Meanwhile, Sekong assemblyman Alias ​​Sani said a majority of the victims would be housed at the Batu Sapi People’s Housing Project (PPR) multipurpose hall, while a few of them would be placed at the village community halls and relatives’ houses.

One of the residents, Mohd Zam Abdul, 60, who has lived in the village for more than 20 years, said this was the second fire incident since 2018. – Bernama