POLICE have denied allegations that the authorities set fire to a slum house next to the Kampung Kalansanan Inanam water village in Kota Kinabalu, Bernama reports.

Kota Kinabalu police chief Kasim Muda said the fire that razed 26 squatter houses was believed to have been caused by a short circuit in one of the houses. The resultant blaze had spread to other illegal housing structures.

Kasim said the short circuit occured in a house that was the incoming source for electricity that was shared with other houses.

“At the time, police were 50-60 metres away from the site of the fire. Police were at the back and not at the front (where the fire originated). The fire has nothing to do with the (police) operational area,” he said.

He said police had explained to the residents that the authorities were not there to set fire to the colony but to weed out illegal immigrants and crime.

Kasim said it was the police who reported the blaze to the Fire and Rescue Department. Firefighters arrived about 12.59pm.

He asked that a viral video spreading false information be deleted.

A Sabah Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said 26 firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by 2pm.

“The area was not accessible to vehicles and the fire brigade could not cross the water because the bridge had collapsed,” he said.

No casualties were reported.

“the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The investigative team is still at the location and facing delays because there are still illegally electric cables at the site,” he said.

He said Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd had warned that there were too many illegal electrical connections at the squatter colony causing risk of electrocution from live wires. – June 11, 2024.