KOTA KINABALU: Thanks to firefighters’ quick action, six foreign tourists were rescued after a fire broke out at a backpackers’ lodge in Kampung Air here.
Firemen safely brought down the tourists, who stood on the ledge of the building after they were trapped by the blaze and smoke yesterday morning.
A Sabah Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said the victims – five women and a man – were brought down with a ladder.
The tourists rescued were identified as Roxanne Laura, 25, from Switzerland; Daniella Maria, 25, from the United States; and Katyleen Marie-Gisele, 28, from France.
The other three were only identified by their first names: Gabriela, 26, from Slovakia; Anatasia, 23, from Russia; and Shunsuke, a 22-year-old man from Japan.
All of them were unscathed by the incident and suffered no injuries.
The spokesman said they received a distress call at 8.49am.
A total of 35 firemen in three fire trucks were dispatched to the area.
“One of the five guest rooms was entirely destroyed by the fire.
“The others were only affected by the smoke and heat from the blaze,” said the spokesman.
Firemen managed to extinguish the fire and thwart its spread.
The cause of the blaze is being investigated.
