200 made homeless in two fires

TAWAU: More than 200 people here were made homeless when two fires occurring within hours of each other destroyed a block of two-storey shop houses and a row of houses. 

In the first fire at 5.45pm yesterday, some 100 people lost all their belongings when their shop houses in Jalan Chester were razed. 

The fire destroyed 28 units of semi-concrete buildings, which accommodated businesses including a restaurant, lodging house, money-changing outlet and grocery store. 

An occupant of the lodging house, Hersyam Bakhtiar, 18, said he realized the shop house was on fire after another occupant complained of smelling smoke. 

Tawau Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Aziz Zakaria said the department received a distress call at 5.58pm and dispatched two engines with 20 fire-fighters to the scene.  

They brought the fire under control in 30 minutes, he said. The cause of the fire is being investigated and the losses have yet to be ascertained. 

Tawau MP Shim Paw Fatt and Tanjong Batu assemblyman Mohd Kamil Kassim were at the scene to look into the immediate needs of the victims, who put up with relatives and friends for the night. 

Meanwhile, at 9.30pm, another fire destroyed a row of 12 houses at Jalan Apas, occupied by more than 100 people. 

The victims are being housed temporarily at the Habib Abdul Rahman mosque. 

State Assistant Minister for Rural Development Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Kitingan said a committee would be formed to assist the victims. –Bernama

Source : The Star Online