| Azlan Othman |
THREE houses were gutted as a second fire in less than three weeks broke out at Kampong Lorong Dalam in Kampong Ayer yesterday morning, leaving 16 people homeless. No injuries were reported in the mishap.
The village saw 13 houses destroyed in a blaze on December 7 which also razed to the ground 11 houses in nearby Kampong Pandai Besi.
According to Fire and Rescue Department, it received a distress call at around 4.10am and 23 fire personnel from the Marine Fire Station, Sungai Kebun Fire Station and Pelancaran Fire Station were immediately dispatched with four fire engines.
The firefighters, led by the Deputy Station Officer Mohammad Arfan, managed to douse the blaze in 25 minutes.
The cause of the fire and amount of losses are yet to be ascertained.
A blaze destroyed three houses in Kampong Lorong Dalam at dawn yesterday, the third incident that happened in the village this year. – HJ MOHD SAID ARSHAD
Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Chuchu, Village Head of Kampong Lorong Dalam, also the Acting Village Head of Kampong Sungai Pandan ‘A’ and ‘B’ and Acting Penghulu of Mukim Burong Pingai Ayer, told the Weekend Bulletin this is the third incident that happened in his village this year – with the first one in September which affected one family, the second on December 7 and the last yesterday.
“We held a special prayer during the recent Maulidur Rasul celebration in the village to protect the village from calamities. But it is all Takdir (beyond one’s will). But luckily there are no casualties,” the village head said.
Officers from the Community Development Department, Brunei-Muara District Office were at the scene to render assistance to the fire victims while personnel from the Department of Electrical Services were quick to cut power supply to prevent untoward incidents.
“The government was swift in action to help the fire victims,” Haji Abu Bakar said, also lauding efforts made by the village residents.
According to the village head, the fire victims are now staying with their family members and relatives at Kampong Katok and Kampong Berambang, while some of the victims of the previous fire (on December 7) are still sheltered at the nearby Menjalin Hall in Kampong Sungai Asam.
The post Fire strikes Kampong Ayer again, leaves 16 homeless appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.