BINTULU: Firefighters battled a fast-moving blaze late Thursday night after flames engulfed two third-floor shop units at Jalan Pedada, reducing both to a burnt-out shell.
According to the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Operation centre, the emergency call came in at 11.07 pm from a nearby witness, prompting an immediate mobilisation from the Bintulu Fire and Rescue Station.
The firefighters were on the road within seconds and arrived at 11.10 pm to find the entire top floor of the building ablaze.
The fire had already taken hold of two adjoining lots, each roughly 40 by 40 feet, and was burning at full intensity.
With visibility poor and heat pushing through the structure, the command team deployed an aggressive interior and frontal attack using two hose lines and four nozzles from hydrants and engines.
Reinforcements from BBP Kidurong mounted an exterior assault at the rear, drawing water from a tanker and operating one line with two nozzles.
The coordinated offensive brought the blaze under control at 11.40 pm, but the building remained volatile.
Firefighters carried out extensive overhaul to break apart debris, suppress pockets of heat and eliminate any chance of re-ignition.
The operation stretched into the early hours and ended at 1.38 am.
No casualties were reported.
Police and SESCO teams were also deployed to support safety, crowd control and electrical isolation.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.