KOTA KINABALU: Screams of “fire”, “get out” and “run” broke the morning silence at Kampung Lok Buta near here when a fire tore through hundreds of squatter houses at the water village.
Three children – two siblings and their cousin – were killed in the blaze, which destroyed some 200 wooden and semi-permanent squatter homes early yesterday.
The charred remains of Nana Abdullah, four, Mohd Asrul Abdullah, six, and Nurfarahdilah Mohd Tajihah, eight, were found close to each other when firemen inspected the razed houses.
Many of the victims said they had no time to save any valuables or belongings.
“We just screamed ‘fire’ and shouted for everyone to run.
“The only thing on my mind was escaping the fire and intense heat. It was chaotic,” said one villager.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department director Mohd Pisae Aziz said they received a distress call at 1.40am.
The flames were high and spread fast, with firemen having to knock down four houses to control the spread of the fire, he said in a statement.
He said apart from the water from the fire engine, their main source of water was from the sea.
Mohd Pisae said they managed to bring the fire under control at 6.26am, before recovering the bodies of the three children.
The cause of the fire was being investigated, he added.
