| James Kon |
SEVENTEEN people were rendered homeless after two houses in Kampong Bakut Pengiran Siraja Muda ‘A’ were gutted by a fire early yesterday morning.
A distress call was received at 4.07am, according to the Fire and Rescue Department.
Led by SSFR Hadi Zulfadli bin Yahya, Commanding Officer of Operation ‘D’ of the Fire and Rescue Department, 22 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to fight the blaze.
The fire, which was spreading rapidly through the wooden, zinc-roofed houses, was brought under control by the crew within 20 minutes. Two houses were however destroyed, with a further three damaged.
One of the decimated houses owned by a local woman housed eight residents. The other home, which had seven people staying, belonged to a local man. No casualties were reported from the fire as all affected residents were evacuated safely.
Present at the scene to oversee the firefighting operation was Lt Col (Rtd) Yahya bin Haji Abdul Rahman, Director of the Fire and Rescue Department.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The total cost of damages have been estimated at around B$122,000.
Speaking on the incident, the Fire and Rescue Department advised the public to always be vigilant on home safety by making sure that their homes are equipped with working fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and fire blankets.
They should also learn how to properly use fire extinguishers to extinguish small flames and ensure that electrical appliances which have been turned on are always monitored and electrical circuits are not overloaded. Wiring works should always be carried out only by skilled professionals accredited by the Department of Electrical Services.
Cooking should never be left unattended, and the hose and regulator of the cooking gas cylinder must be the correct type and recognised by Brunei Shell Marketing Co Sdn Bhd (BSM).
For any emergency, the public can contact the operation centre of the Fire and Rescue Department at 995, and provide accurate information on the incident.
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