MIRI: Three families in Kampung Long San, Baram were left homeless after a fire destroyed around 90 per cent of their homes on Thursday.
The blaze was successfully contained by villagers before the arrival of the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) team.
According to a statement from Bomba issued on Friday, the department received an emergency call about the fire at approximately 1.50 pm.
“Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, located about 243 km from the nearest fire station. Due to poor weather conditions, including rain and limited visibility, the team faced a challenging five-hour journey along dusty and slippery logging roads.
“By the time they arrived, the fire had already been extinguished by the villagers,” said the statement.
The department added that because there was no telecommunications coverage in the area, they were unable to provide immediate updates.
It added that when the call was received, it was believed that the houses were about 80 per cent damaged by the fire.
“One of the villagers noticed the incident when they saw thick smoke coming from outside the house. At the same time, the electricity supply suddenly went off.
“As a result, the residents of Kampung Long San were left without electricity. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident,” said the department.
The fire affected seven villagers, and the cause of the fire and value of losses are still under investigation.
