(Miri, 16th) A serious fire broke out at Kampung Wireless last night, resulting in the complete destruction of a furniture store and four houses, with another three houses damaged due to the spread of the fire. A total of 80 residents were affected. Among them, 42 disaster victims from five households have been placed at the temporary shelter of the Miri Red Crescent Society, while the rest have temporarily sought refuge with relatives.
Miri Member of Parliament Chiew Choon Man visited the temporary shelter (PPS) at the Miri Red Crescent Society this morning to see the fire victims, understand their actual needs, offer encouragement and condolences, and handed over RM1,000 in emergency assistance to each household to help them through this difficult time.
He said that currently, some victims are staying at the PPS, while others are temporarily staying with relatives. During the interaction, he listened to the victims' accounts of their escape and expressed sympathy and support for their plight.
Chiew Choon Man pointed out that he has allocated RM7,000 in emergency aid through the Miri District Office, which will be distributed to the affected families after the verification process is completed.
"I will continue to monitor their situation and work with the relevant agencies to ensure that both short-term and long-term assistance can be implemented smoothly."
Chiew Choon Man said that this fierce fire shocked the whole community, with several houses completely destroyed. He highly praised the residents of the village for quickly raising the alarm and helping neighbors evacuate as the fire broke out, allowing all victims to escape in time and preventing any casualties.
"This is the result of unity and mutual assistance, and we must pay tribute to the community for this."
Chiew Choon Man also expressed his gratitude to all units involved in the rescue, including the fire department, police, civil defense force, welfare department, volunteer groups, and community members.
He especially thanked an offshore vessel for assisting with firefighting by dispatching a water cannon to help rescuers control the blaze more quickly.
"The actions of the ship owners and crew fully demonstrated a strong spirit of humanity and social responsibility."
Five-day-old baby evacuates with mother, MP promises sufficient supplies
Chiew Choon Man revealed that among the victims, one family had just returned home from the hospital after childbirth, and less than 20 minutes after returning with their five-day-old baby, they encountered the fire and were forced to flee to the shelter.
"We will ensure there are enough supplies in the shelter, including food, daily necessities, and items needed for the baby. I will also stay in contact with the civil defense force and relevant agencies to ensure the victims receive the necessary assistance."
Chiew Choon Man said that in addition to today's disbursement of RM1,000 in aid, another RM1,900 in relief funds will be distributed through the District Office and SAO Office after verification, with the Civil Defense Force acting as an intermediary to receive and hand over the funds to the affected families.
He pointed out that Kampung Wireless had also experienced fire incidents in the past two years, and the community's fire prevention awareness urgently needs to be strengthened. He thanked the community leader (KKK) of the village for promptly warning residents at the first sign of fire, ensuring that everyone could escape in time and preventing more serious casualties.
"This is an exemplary emergency response for the whole village to learn from. We also hope to strengthen education in the future so that residents can improve their fire prevention and emergency response abilities."
As Miri MP, Chiew Choon Man called on the community and all sectors of society to continue paying attention to and supporting the fire victims, and said he would help follow up with post-disaster reconstruction work.
"This fire is a major test for the community, but I believe we can overcome difficulties together and rise again."
