About 200 Homes Turned to Ashes in Sabah Kampung Bahagia Fire

(Sabah, 19th) In the early hours of April 19, a sudden fire swept through Kampung Bahagia, Sandakan, Sabah, destroying about 200 homes in a terrifying scene.

According to the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department, the fire broke out at 1:32 am. After receiving the report, a team from the Sandakan Fire Station was quickly dispatched and arrived at the scene at around 1:48 am to carry out rescue operations, having traveled approximately 15 kilometers.

The fire started in a stilt water village where most of the houses are built on the water and made of wood, each about 300 square feet in size and non-permanent in structure. Due to the close proximity of the houses and strong winds at the time, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing large residential areas in a short time.

The rescue operation faced multiple challenges, including narrow access routes preventing fire engines from reaching the site directly, low tide affecting water supply, and dense building structures exacerbating the spread of the fire, which greatly increased the difficulty of extinguishing the blaze.

This operation deployed a total of 35 fire and rescue personnel and received support from Kinabatangan Fire and Rescue Department. Water for firefighting mainly relied on tanker trucks and the pressurized fire hydrants of nearby factories.

In addition, Sabah Electricity Company, the Civil Defence Force, and the police also assisted in the disaster relief efforts. The operation was coordinated and commanded by Sandakan District Fire Commander PgB Jasri Ab Jal.

As of the morning of Sunday (April 19), the fire was still not completely under control and firefighting efforts were ongoing. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.

This major fire highlights the high risks associated with the structure and environment of water villages, and has also raised public concerns about fire safety measures in the local area.

According to unofficial statistics, 445 victims from 89 families were evacuated and have registered at the temporary evacuation center.