SEMPORNA: A fire disaster was officially declared in the district on Wednesday afternoon after a blaze destroyed some 26 squatter houses in Kampung Pinggir Bakau.
The declaration was issued at 3pm by Semporna District Officer and District Disaster Management Committee (JPBD) chairman, Mas Syazwan Masood, following ground assessments by disaster response agencies.
Semporna Fire and Rescue station chief Zainal Sinsian said the department received an emergency call alerting them to the blaze at 11am.
A total of 37 personnel from the Semporna, Semporna Water, and Kunak fire stations were deployed to the scene, where the fire razed an area measuring approximately 150 by 200 feet.
Firefighters faced operational difficulties due to low-tide conditions and local water supply constraints, prompting the team to source water from a fire hydrant and request support from the Water Department.
Crews also created a firebreak by demolishing adjacent houses to prevent the blaze from spreading through the settlement.
The fire was brought under control at 11.58am and operations officially concluded at 2.35pm after the area was certified safe.
