About 70 stalls selling second-hand clothing at Kampung Titingan, Tawau, were engulfed by fire in the early hours today. The entire row of makeshift stores was destroyed, but fortunately, there were no casualties.
Tawau Fire Department chief Jamisin Ukin stated that authorities received the fire report at 4:44am, and the fire truck from Tawau Fire Department arrived at the scene 7 minutes later, at 4:51am, to start firefighting operations.
He said the fire involved around 70 stalls selling second-hand clothing, which were non-permanent structures covering an area of about 100 meters by 120 meters. The flames spread quickly, ultimately destroying approximately 2.97 acres of non-permanent structures.
"The fire squad managed to bring the blaze under control by 5:23am and also successfully protected around 350 nearby houses and shops, preventing the fire from spreading further."
He added that the operation involved 16 firefighters from Tawau Fire Department, as well as 10 community fire brigade members, who carried out firefighting and embers-clearing work to ensure no hidden flames remained and prevent rekindling.
In addition, the operation was assisted by 10 police officers, 9 members of the Civil Defence Force, and 2 personnel from Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd.
The authorities confirmed that the fire caused no injuries or fatalities. The cause of the fire and the total value of losses are still under investigation.