FIREMEN took over five hours to put out a fire that razed 250 squatter houses and made about 1,000 people homeless at the Kampung Hidayat water village, Mile 4 of Jalan Apas, in Tawau, yesterday. 

Narrow roads and cars parked on the roadside, as well as hundreds of villagers running away in panic hampered firefighting, Tawau fire and rescue station chief Faizal Ahmad said.  

“The fire-engines had to source water from a pond at a nearby factory as the hydrant was not working,” he said. 

Fires in squatter settlements, especially water villages, are common in Sabah. Houses built close to each other coupled with the strong sea breeze make it easy to for fires to spread.

Firemen who arrived at the scene around 3.30pm managed to bring the fire under control in two hours but could only extinguish it at 8.15pm.

Two villagers were hospitalised with minor injuries.  

Tawau Fire and Rescue Department investigating officer Martin Thomas said the number of victims and extent of damage were being ascertained. – July 2, 2017.