KOTA KINABALU: A total of 67 people from 17 families have escaped with only the clothes on their back in a predawn fire here that left them homeless.
Some 10 semi-permanent houses were destroyed in the blaze at Kampung Muhibbah in Likas at about 3am yesterday.
One of the victims, Azwan Mailan, 37, said he had woken up to prepare for sahur (predawn meal) when he felt that it was unusually hot around his house.
“The heat was not the usual heat from the warm temperature due to the dry spell.
“I looked out of my house and saw a house on fire,” he said, adding that he immediately alerted his wife and his siblings to leave their house.
“We tried to throw buckets of water to stop the blaze from spreading to our house, but the fire was too strong and spread quickly.
“Nothing could be saved; everything was destroyed by the fire. My father’s and brother’s houses nearby were also destroyed,” said Azwan.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director for operations Hamsa Isnurdini said a distress call was received at 3.11am and 26 firemen were immediately deployed in two fire engines to the area.
“Our men managed to stop the blaze from spreading to other houses nearby at about 4.16am.
“A total of 10 semi-permanent houses were completely burnt down,” said Hamsa, who was at the scene of the fire.
There were no injuries or fatalities and the cause of the fire is being investigated, he added.
