MARUDI: A fire broke out at a four-storey shophouse here on Tuesday (Dec 16), damaging half of the second floor storage area but leaving no injuries, according to the Fire and Rescue Department.
The incident occurred at the shophouse housing HK Restaurant along Jalan Melur in Kampung Cina.
Firefighters from the Marudi Fire and Rescue Station (Bomba) received an emergency call at 11.57am and arrived at the scene within two minutes.
Sarawak Bomba Operations Centre said the fire was confined to the second floor, which was being used as a storage area for furniture and equipment.
The affected space measured approximately 20 by 40 square feet, with an estimated 50 per cent of the area damaged by fire.
Firefighters immediately deployed an aggressive interior attack strategy to bring the situation under control.
Bomba said one hose line was directed through the window using a ladder to tackle the fire from inside, while a second hose line was advanced through the entrance on the second floor.
A total of seven firefighters were involved in the operation, supported by one fire rescue tender and an utility vehicle. The fire was successfully contained and fully extinguished by 12.45pm, less than an hour after the initial call.
No occupants were reported trapped inside the building at the time of the incident, and no injuries were recorded.
Several other agencies were mobilised to support the operation, including the Marudi District police chief, officers from the Marudi police patrol unit and police station, the Civil Defence Force, and personnel from electricity provider Sesco to ensure the area was made safe.
Firefighters conducted final safety checks before returning to their station once the situation was confirmed to be fully under control.
Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the fire, and investigations are expected to follow.
