MIRI: A dawn blaze tore through two shop units near Bazaar Lapo Tinjar in Baram, Marudi, early today, as firefighters battled distance and limited access to reach the remote settlement.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department received the emergency call at 5.48 am. By the time community fire responders from Pekan and six PBS members from Tuai Rumah Salin arrived, thick smoke had already engulfed the ground floor of Kedai Yeu Hong and an adjoining sublot.
Their early intervention slowed the fire’s advance, but the situation remained volatile and far from under control.
A team from Lopeng fire Station was immediately deployed, undertaking a 107-km drive along rural roads to reach the scene. The crew arrived at 7 am with an FRT engine, an EMRS unit and a DMAX vehicle, led by senior operations commander TPgB Mohamad Hamdani Madon.
No casualties were reported. The cause of the fire and the full extent of the losses are still being assessed.
Fire suppression efforts are ongoing, with the department acknowledging that the distance to the nearest station and the challenging route delayed the arrival of heavier support. Firefighters continue working to stabilise the situation and bring the blaze under full control.
