TATAU: A Christmas-night fire across the river destroyed a settlement of squatter houses and claimed one life near Pekan Sangan here last night (Dec 25).
Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said the victim, identified as a 22-year-old man with disabilities (OKU), was found burnt at the scene at about 2.36 am today (Dec 26).
The fire, which broke out at around 11.18 pm, destroyed 30 non-permanent squatter houses located near Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sangan Iban, while one house was successfully saved.
Firefighters from the Tatau Station faced access difficulties as the affected area was located across a river with no road access, forcing them to transport firefighting equipment using villagers’ boats.
A team of seven personnel was deployed to the scene, involving one fire rescue tender and a Hilux vehicle.
Firefighting operations were carried out using a 400-foot hose line, a dividing breeching and two nozzles, with water sourced from a nearby river through a portable pump to prevent the fire from spreading further.
The blaze was eventually brought under control, and nearby structures, including a school, were spared from damage.
The victim’s body was handed over to the police for further investigation, while authorities were still working to determine the cause of the fire.
A total of 23 families involving 97 people were affected by the incident.
