Rep reminds villagers of steps to prevent fire
MIRI: Villagers should take proactive measures to prevent or reduce the frequency of fires at longhouses.
One of the ways is to have their cooking area away from the longhouse, said Telang Usan assemblyman Dennis Ngau.
Dennis gave this advice recently when visiting the site of a row of 11 doors of Long Palai longhouse which was reduced to ashes in an early morning fire that started at one of the units of the longhouse on Nov 5.
“This is the fourth fire incident in a longhouse in Telang Usan and
This is the fourth fire incident in a longhouse in Telang Usan and I was told the source of the fire is again due to unattended cooking in the kitchen.
I was told the source of the fire is again due to unattended cooking in the kitchen.
“I had raised this issue when I visited Long Aton fire victims a while ago to take drastic action and consider having a separate cooking area from the main kitchen or main longhouse block to minimise the risk of fire starting due to cooking and now this has happened at another longhouse.
“I am deeply saddened and we pray it will not happen again,” Dennis said.
The fire took only 30 minutes to bring the whole structure down which made 135 residents homeless and caused the house owners to lose all their belongings while another house adjacent to the block was partially damaged.
The Fire and Rescue Department, Miri Welfare Department, Long Lama police, the army and the National Registration Department (NRD) mobile unit were dispatched immediately to render assistance in the form of food, clothing and so on.
“The location of the longhouse is about six hours by road from Miri and since the longhouse is located opposite the river from the point of disembarking, crossing the Baram river to bring in items is a challenge.
“But despite that, all personnel from relevant departments were determined to reach the fire site in quickest time possible and on behalf of the victims I thank all departments for their kind response and to Samling which dispatched their personnel to render assistance too,” he said, adding it was also due to the quick and collective action by the villagers and materials used as fencing that the fire did not spread to the longhouse chief’s block.
What makes it harder to fight the fire in longhouses these days, the assemblyman pointed out, is that the number of residents in the longhouse has become less.
Dennis handed cash relief of RM300 to each family and handed over food aid from the Welfare Department to the fire victims.
In addition, he announced an allocation of RM50,000 from his Minor Rural Project ( MRP) fund for next year to buy roofing and building materials and also a RM10,000 contribution from Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.
Besides that, he witnessed the handing over of personal contribution of RM1,000 each from Penghulu Antony Kule and Cr Peter Bit and RM500 from political secretary to the chief minister Charles Balan Seling to the victims’ central fund.
Dennis urged individuals or companies to come forward to help the fire victims to lessen their burden and rebuild their home.
The 80- door Long Palai longhouse has been around since 1940.
Dennis Ngau, Telang Usan assemblyman