MIRI: A fierce blaze tore through Kampung Wireless here this evening, wiping out a furniture shop and several nearby homes in a matter of minutes as firefighters raced against fast moving flames and cramped riverfront structures.
According to the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Operations Centre, the alarm was raised at 5:35 pm.
The first engine from Miri station reached the scene at 5:40 pm, but the fire had already engulfed a non-permanent furniture shop and was spilling into a tightly packed cluster of homes.
Reinforcements from Lopeng and Lutong arrived soon after as the situation intensified.
Seven non-permanent houses were caught in the fire’s path. Four were reduced to ashes.
Three others suffered partial damage after radiant heat and flame spread from adjoining units, underscoring the vulnerability of the settlement’s close built layout.
Crews mounted an aggressive defensive and suppression effort, deploying multiple hose lines from Miri and Lopeng engines.
A private vessel from Seng Heng Shipping provided an additional pump, enabling firefighters to draw river water to cool the fire line along the Miri riverbank.
Sarawak Gas was instructed to shut down the main supply feeding the affected area as a safety measure.
No casualties have been reported, but firefighters remained on site into the night conducting overhaul to prevent reignition.
The operation involved 23 personnel, three fire engines and a Hilux support vehicle.
Senior officers from Miri Zone were on the ground alongside police, civil defence and SESCO teams.
Investigators are now examining the cause of the blaze.
