Morning fire destroys Christmas preparations of 35 people

MIRI: The Christmas preparation of 35 occupants of a two-storey wooden house in Taman Bukit Orang, Batu 2 Bintulu were burned down to ashes when the house caught fire yesterday morning.

The head of the house, Lisa Nyegang said the fire also destroyed the residents’ schooling preparations such as new school uniforms and shoes recently purchased for the new session on Jan 3 next year.

“No Christmas celebrations this year, but we hope the Public Works Department could build temporary tents for us to live in until we could sort things out,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

Lisa was appealing for assistance as soon as possible, especially the school supplies for the children since all the residents in the house were labourers.

“I just bought school items for my children and all were destroyed in the fire as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bintulu Fire and Rescue station chief Di Hatta Gobel said the cause of the fire and the losses incurred were still under investigation.

He said his department received a distress call at 9.30am and despatched a team to the location five minutes later. The fire was finally brought under control at 11.08am. He said based on the report, a total of 35 people –12 women and 23 men – were staying in the 10-room house.

“The Bintulu Welfare Department has been informed to give immediate assistance to the victims and they are currently staying with relatives,” he said. — Bernama