KAPIT: Residents of a longhouse in Nanga Entawau, Baleh narrowly avoided a major disaster when a fire destroyed a detached kitchen building in the early hours today (June 1).
The blaze broke out at about 1.10 am, razing the standalone kitchen before it could spread to nearby sections of the settlement.
No injuries or casualties were reported as the kitchen was located behind the longhouse.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said firefighters from Kapit station were dispatched to the scene, about 95km away, following an emergency call.
Due to the remote location, the team had to navigate narrow and unpaved roads, with the journey taking approximately one-and-a-half hours.
However, by the time they arrived, residents had already succeeded in bringing the blaze under control and extinguishing it using water from a nearby fire hydrant
Further checks found that the non-permanent kitchen structure, measuring about 30ft by 20ft, had been completely destroyed.
The team only conducted monitoring and safety assessments to ensure there were no risks of reignition before ending the operation at 5.27 am.
The cause of the fire and losses incurred are yet to be determined.
