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TAWAU – A couple was found charred while seven other individuals were burned in a fire that razed about 40 houses in Kg Sg Buaya, Jalan Tawau Lama here late last night.
The bodies of Saiful Rosli, 32, and Jumaidah M. Jida, 36, were found by firemen early this morning after the blaze was extinguished when the operation ended at 6.20am, this morning.
Tawau Fire and Rescue Station chief Julius John Stephen Jr said the station received a call on the incident at about 12.25am and 25 firefighters were dispatched with two fire engines to the location.
“A victim, Mutalib Suma, 45, suffered 86% burns while a 26-year-old man and an 18-year-old girl had 17% burns.
“Apart from that, three girls and a boy aged between six and 12 had 1%-6% burns. All victims were brought to Tawau Hospital for treatment,” he told reporters here today.
He said the cause of fire and amount of losses were still being investigated.
A fire victim, Mala Tipung, 46, wept when she found her house, which had been left vacant for a week, burnt to the ground.
“I went to my husband’s workplace a week ago in Sg Burong Teck Guan. I came back this morning and found our house gutted, everything turned to ashes, not a single item saved,” she said.
For Hasoni Basiah, 34, a loud knock on the door by his friend, Awil, woke him up.
“I opened the door to my friend Awil shouting ‘fire’. I saw a big fire in my backyard and I quickly alerted my wife and sister-in -law to save themselves,” he said, adding that he only had time to take important documents before dashing out for safety. – Bernama, January 9, 2022