BELAGA: A total of 152 residents from 17 families were left with only the clothes on their back after fire destroyed the double-storey Uma Nyaving longhouse, Long Mejawah Sungai Asap yesterday (Sept 11).
Fortunately, no one was injured in the 8 am incident.
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said the blaze destroyed 15 doors in Block B and damaged two doors in Block A and Block C.
Firemen from Belaga station were despatched to the scene, some 95km away, after being alerted to the incident. Sungai Asap auxiliary firefighters were also deployed to assist.
By the time they arrived, the longhouse was beyond saving and the team performed extinguishing works to control the fire from spreading to more doors.
The flames were completely extinguished at 4.50 pm.
The cause of the fire and losses incurred are still under investigation.
