MIRI: Twenty-one people, including three young girls, lost all their belongings when a fire gutted a six-door oil palm plantation workers’ quarters at Jalan Marudi today.
The 9:55 am blaze destroyed the 180-by-30-foot structure, leaving the residents with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported as all occupants managed to escape in time.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said firefighters from Marudi and Lopeng stations were dispatched to the scene, about 37 kilometres away, following an emergency call.
Upon arrival, the quarters were already engulfed in flames and beyond saving.
The team focused on extinguishing the remaining embers using water supplied from a water tanker.
The plantation’s emergency response team (ERT) also assisted by drawing water from a reservoir tank. The fire was brought under control by noon, followed by overhaul work to prevent any reignition.
The cause of the fire and losses incurred are currently under investigation by Miri Zone Fire Investigation Team.
Once the situation was deemed safe, the team ended the operation at 12:25 pm.
