MIRI: Four storage rooms of a longhouse in Sungai Bok, Lapok were destroyed in a fire on Tuesday evening.
However, swift actions by some 50 villagers of Rumah Katerina, including villagers from two other nearby longhouses – Rumah Salin and Rumah John – managed to avert the fire from spreading to the longhouse.
On Wednesday, two out of the 50 “heroes” (villagers) went to Lopeng fire station and were greeted by Miri Fire Zone chief Supt Law Poh Kiong.
Law credited their heroic act for preventing the fire from spreading to the longhouse during the 6pm incident on Tuesday.
No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident.
They later shared their heart-warming story with Law.
“We fought the blaze using fire extinguishers available at that time, it was scorching perhaps because of the blaze was too intense,” said Kuling Nyelang, 57, of Rumah Salin, Sungai Selulit Sebatang Bakong.
Sharing the same ordeal was Jawa Dampan, also from Rumah Salin.
Both Jawa and Kuling said, they were lucky at that time as the wind was not too strong.
“We didn’t expect we could put out the fire and save the longhouse (Rumah Katerina) with other villagers… we just did what we have to do at that time to save the longhouse,” they said.
Bomba Miri then contributed five new fire extinguishers as an appreciation gesture for their heroic act.
According to Law, the extinguishers were contributed as replacements for those used during the incident on Tuesday.
