Khaberni - This Sunday morning, the city of Sandakan in northwest Malaysia witnessed one of the worst fires in its history; flames erupted in the "Kampong Bahagia" village in the "Batu Sapi" area, destroying 1000 homes and affecting 9007 people.
The Malaysian newspaper "The Star" reported that the fire broke out at 1:30 AM local time and quickly spread throughout the densely populated settlement of wooden houses, preventing many families from escaping before the flames engulfed entire rows of homes.
Details of losses and injuries
Press reports confirmed that there have been no fatalities so far, while some residents suffered minor injuries while trying to save their properties. George Abdul Rahman, the local officer in Sandakan, explained to the media at the scene that the fire affected about 1000 homes, describing the incident as a "wide-scale and very unfortunate accident" that impacted the lives of thousands of residents.
The newspaper "Free Malaysia Today" mentioned that the affected area covered about four hectares, which is roughly equivalent to five and a half football fields.
Relief efforts and official response
The fire brigade managed to control the fire after 4 AM local time. Authorities are currently working on identifying and registering victims and coordinating necessary relief efforts.
On his part, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed, through social media platforms, the country's deep concern over reports concerning the destruction of hundreds of rural homes, emphasizing that the top priority at the moment is to provide urgent support and shelter for the affected individuals to secure and alleviate their suffering thoroughly and substantively.
