TAWAU, Nov 4 – A 12-year-old boy died after a massive fire destroyed 30 houses in Kampung Sentosa, Jalan Utara Baru Hilltop, Tawau, Sabah, on Wednesday morning.
The victim, identified as Jackson Zack, was found inside his bedroom at around 10am.
Firefighters discovered his body while checking the damaged houses after bringing the blaze under control.
The Ministry of Health later confirmed his death.
Fire Destroys 30 Houses Within Two Hours
The Tawau Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 6.44am.
Firefighters arrived at the scene just three minutes later.
At that time, flames had already engulfed six houses. However, the fire spread quickly to nearby buildings.
By around 8am, a total of 30 houses had been destroyed.
Narrow Roads Make Rescue Operations Difficult
Firefighters faced several challenges while fighting the blaze.
The houses were built close to one another. As a result, the flames spread quickly between the buildings.
Narrow roads also made it difficult for fire engines to reach the affected area.
In addition, there were no nearby fire hydrants to provide water.
Despite these challenges, firefighters used water hoses and tanker trucks to control the fire.
Firefighters Save Around 250 Houses
Although 30 houses were destroyed, firefighters managed to protect approximately 250 other houses from the flames.
A Perodua Kancil was also completely destroyed in the incident.
The fire affected an estimated area of 7,124.84 square metres.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control at around 8am. However, rescue teams continued checking the area to ensure no other victims were trapped inside the damaged buildings.
They also carried out further operations to prevent the fire from starting again.
Investigation Into Fire Underway
The incident has highlighted the challenges of fighting fires in closely packed residential areas.
Limited road access and the lack of nearby fire hydrants can make emergency operations more difficult.
The cause of the fire has yet to be established.
Source : BERNAMA | Rewritten By Minutesmy
