4 houses gutted, 3 damaged in Kampung Tupong Hulu fire
KUCHING: A raging fire tore through seven houses at Kampung Tupong Hulu, Jalan Astana here leaving 69 people homeless early yesterday morning.
Residents rushed to safety after the blaze, which ultimately gutted four houses and damaged three others, broke out around 2.30am.
No injuries or casualties were reported during the incident.
A total of 24 firefighters from the Petra Jaya and Padungan fire stations battled the blaze for about an hour before extinguishing the flames around 4.30am.
A victim, Zulikram Bujang, 31 when met said he was still in a state of shock over the incident which affected 13 members of his family.
However, he expressed his relief knowing that all residents affected by the blaze were safe.
“I tried my best to extinguish the fire but failed and had to evacuate the house. The most important thing now is that everyone is safe.”
State Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba) assistant operations director Tiong Ling Hii said firemen arrived at the scene at 2.53am following a distress call.
He said when Bomba personnel arrived, two houses had already been razed to the ground, adding that it took about 20 minutes to control the flames and prevented it from spreading to nearby homes.
“A total of seven houses were involved. ( We) only managed to save three adjacent units,” he said when met yesterday.
Tiong pointed out that Bomba did not face any problems in dousing the fire despite the 200metre distance from the fire hydrant to the affected area, as well as the narrow roads which made it difficult for fire engines to enter the village.
“Nevertheless, we are wellprepared in facing such situations involving narrow roads and other issues,” he said, adding the cause of fire is being investigated while total losses have yet to be ascertained.
Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman was among those present at the scene yesterday in the aftermath of the fire.
I tried my best to extinguish the fire but failed and had to evacuate the house. The most important thing now is that everyone is safe. Zulikram Bujang, a victim