| Abdul Hakiim Yakof |
TWO houses in Kampong Burung Pingai Ayer were destroyed in a fire yesterday morning. No casualties were reported in the incident.
One of the houseowners, Hajah Siti Aidah bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Othman, aged 66, expressed her sadness when speaking to the Bulletin.
She said she was grateful that there were no deaths or injuries but said her loss due to the fire could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“Seventeen traditional weaving looms were housed there. A weaving loom costs $1,200, 43 types of threads were also destroyed. Each roll of thread can make three to seven sets of woven cloth which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.”
She and her husband, Haji Abdul Majid bin Haji Tuah, aged 76, said the house was occupied by two of their workers. The couple lives in a house nearby.
When the fire broke out, the couple were not at home because they were sending their children to the airport.
“We saw smoke rising from our neighbourhood on our way home in the capital. Soon after one of our workers called to tell us that our house was on fire,” Hajah Siti Aidah added.
Aftermath of the fire that burnt down two houses. – SYAHMI HASSAN
Asked about the cause of the fire, she said she was unsure.
The fire was said to have started and spread from the house of the neighbour, Pengiran Rafae bin Pengiran Haji Yassin.
Pengiran Rafae, 45, and his 40-year-old wife Masnah binti Tuah, speaking to the Bulletin at a relative’s house, said the fire originated from their bedroom but they didn’t know what caused it.
“I was in the kitchen when one of my children notified me about the fire in the bedroom,” said Masnah,
She added that during the incident she said only she, her husband and one of her children were at home as her five other children were at school.
The family of Pengiran Rafae are left with only the clothes on their backs as all of their belongings were destroyed in the fire.
They are hoping for assistance from the authorities, especially in the form of school supplies as most of their children are still in school.
Some 23 Fire and Rescue personnel from the marine fire station in the are awere dispatched to the scene in four boats and two fire engines.
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