MIRI: Thirty-seven people are eft homeless after a pre-dawn fire tore through a cluster of closely built homes here, destroying nine houses within hours.
The blaze broke out at Kampung Pasir, Simpang 4 Lutong, shortly after 4am today.
Emergency services received the call at 4.06am and dispatched crews from Lutong, Lopeng and Miri Sentral fire stations.
By the time firefighters arrived, flames had already spread rapidly across the settlement, fuelled by the close spacing and combustible structure of the houses.
All nine homes, built as non-permanent units, were destroyed.
Six of the houses were occupied, while three were vacant. Despite the scale of the fire, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
The fire displaced 37 residents from six families, many believed to have been inside their homes when the blaze broke out.
Household sizes ranged from five to seven occupants, leaving entire families without shelter.
Firefighters worked for more than three hours to bring the blaze under control, deploying hose lines and a relay pumping system to channel water from hydrants located along the main road.
The operation ended at 7.45am after crews confirmed the fire had been fully extinguished and no hotspots remained.
Fire and Rescue officials said response efforts were complicated by the layout of the settlement.
Narrow access routes restricted the movement of fire engines, while the lack of nearby water sources forced crews to rely on distant hydrants.
A total of 24 firefighters were involved in the operation, supported by multiple emergency vehicles. Police officers were also at the scene to secure the area.
The cause of the fire and the extent of losses remain under investigation.
