Sandakan: Swift action by residents of Kampung Nunuyan Laut in wetting nearby homes to create a fire break helped protect 162 stilt houses from the blaze early this morning.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kampung Nunuyan Laut village headman Mohd Sutri Mohd Nurdin said residents took the initial step of using water pumps lent to them to wet nearby houses and prevent the flames from spreading. 'I didn't think twice and lent the residents a water pump to help put out the fire because the strong winds were causing the flames to spread quickly from one house to another. We tried to create a fire break by wetting the houses that had not yet caught fire, which helped stop the flames from spreading to many other houses,' he told Bernama here today.
Despite residents' swift efforts to contain the blaze, 28 non-permanent houses on the island were destroyed in the fire, which broke out at about 3 am. The fire has forced 109 residents from 29 families to seek shelter at the temporary relief centre at Al Fattah Mosque in the village as at 8 pm tonight.
Recalling the frightening moments, Kaslan Etin, 38, said residents' screams woke him from his sleep, only for him to find about 30 per cent of his house engulfed in flames. 'My whole family woke up when we heard people shouting 'fire'. We quickly got the two small children out and only managed to grab our personal documents,' he said. He said the blaze also destroyed all the items prepared for his sister-in-law's wedding, which was scheduled to take place during the school holidays in December.
Kasmah Rashid, 69, who lives alone, was rescued by a neighbour who knocked on her door and helped her escape as the fire spread. 'I'm really thankful to the villagers and security forces who came to help me. I don't know what would have happened if they hadn't come,' she said.
Meanwhile, Sungai Sibuga Community Development leader Datuk Amirshah Yaakub said initial assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) had been provided to meet the immediate needs of all victims. 'JKM has also identified the victims who need further assistance, while the Sandakan Municipal Council has opened a temporary relief centre to accommodate those affected,' he said.
Authorities confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities in the incident, while the cause of the fire is still under investigation.