250 Semporna houses destroyed by fire will be rebuilt
SEMPORNA: About 250 houses at Kg Bangau-Bangau water village here were destroyed by an early morning fire yesterday, leaving some 1,000 people homeless.
Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal assured the water village community that the houses will be rebuilt with an allocation provided through the National Security Council.
Shafie, who is also Semporna Member of Parliament, said he was saddened over the incident and would visit the village tomorrow morning to hand over aid and welfare to the victims who were being sheltered temporary at Semporna Community Hall.
In the incident that occurred at about 2.02am yesterday, no casualties were reported t that left about 1,000 people homeless.
Semporna Fire and Rescue Station chief Fazizul Hizam Borhan said two fire trucks with 12 personnel rushed to the scene in response to a distress call at 2.02 am.
"They arrived five minutes later but almost 60 per cent of the houses had been razed by then.
"The team had difficulty in putting out the fire because of lack of water and had to use a boat to get sea water to douse the flames," he said when met at the scene.
He said the team was assisted by 12 personnel from the Tawau and Kunak fire stations and more than 20 personnel from the Civil Defence Department.
The fire was finally extinguished at 6.56 am; no fatalities had been reported so far, said Fazizul Hizam.
Meanwhile, Senallang Assemblyman Datuk Seri Nasir Tun Sakaran said 160 families had registered with the Welfare Department, and registration would stay open till evening.
"The number of victims has not been ascertained; they will be temporarily sheltered at Dewan Belia Semporna and Dewan Serbaguna Kampung BangauBangau.
"As the assemblyman here, I will ensure that the victims receive the basic necessities especially food. I will also expedite their applications for aid," he told reporters after visiting the scene.