Sunday, October 14, 2007

SUNDAY-14/10/2007-FIRE IN MENGKABUNG WATER VILLAGE

KOTA KINABALU: It was a bleak Raya for 50 people at Mengkabung Water Village in Tuaran after they were made homeless in a fire yesterday morning. The fire broke out at around 8.3Oam when most of the occupants of the eight affected houses were out for Raya prayers. Four fire engines were rushed to the scene half an hour after receiving a distress call from villagers, but the low tide and broken water pipes made it difficult for the firemen to put out the blaze fast. One of the fire victims, Dulim Binutu, said he could not grab anything but a shirt and the pants he was wearing as the fire spread so fast. His wife Besuna Lasin also grabbed just two pieces of her clothing before fleeing their house. All our money, about RM2,000, went up in smoke. We have been saving the RM150.00 welfare assistance scheme for so long and was hoping to use the money during rainy days, now everything is gone,” said Dulim. He however was thankful that his wife is safe. As for Jamilin Toh and elder sister Raya, their plan to enjoy the Raya holidays were destroyed within seconds before their very eyes. “All those preparations for Raya celebration is gone; this is the worst Raya ever,”said Jamilin, adding that documents such as birth and marriage certificates, and . bank books, among others, were destroyed
The Fire and Rescue Services Deparment managed to put the fire under control within an hour and put it off completely in two hours.