The fire quickly spread and destroyed four houses in total.
KOTA KINABALU: A family of six, including an eight-year-old girl, had to jump out the window to save themselves from a fire that engulfed their house at Manggatal near here.
The family were left with only the clothes on their backs after the fire destroyed everything during the incident at Kampung Muhibbah Baru at 9.50pm on Tuesday (Feb 13).
“Although all our belongings were razed, we are grateful that we are now all safe,” said Suliani Aidi.
“We managed to save some important personnel documents, but other than that, everything else had gone up in smoke,” she added.
Recalling the moments before the fire started, the 28-year-old housewife said she was sleeping with her husband and daughter when she was jolted from her slumber.
“I was awakened by the sound of an explosion before my mother and two other relatives alerted us that the house was on fire,” she said.
Suliani said her husband tried to put out the fire but failed.
A firefighter trying to put out the blaze
“We then decided to jump out of the window, which was three metres high from the ground, to save ourselves,” she said.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department operations centre officer Kiniremmy Zikol@Lupi said they received a distress call at 9.57pm.
A team of 26 officers and personnel, as well as the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) unit, were rushed to the location.
“But our men had some difficulties dousing the fire as there were no bigger water sources than the water supply they had to utilise from next-door neighbours,” he said.
In total, he said, four houses were destroyed, adding the fire was brought under control at 11.15pm.
“We are still investigating the cause of the fire,” Kiniremmy said, adding the operation ended at 12.28am.
