20130811 Malaysia Serian Longhouse Blaze Leaves 42 People Homeless
Malaysia Aug 11 2013 “Apartment houses” “Building” “Houses”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 30 to 69 Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Serian Longhouse Blaze Leaves 42 People Homeless
Updated: 2013-08-11-12:00
SERIAN, Aug 11 (Bernama) — A fire believed to have been caused by a short circuit razed a longhouse at Kpg Soh, Batu 27, Jalan Kuching-Serian here early today, rendering 42 people homeless.
State Fire and Rescue senior assistant superintendent Tan Min Chai said the department dispatched two trucks and 11 personnel from the Siburan and Serian fire stations to the scene after receiving a distress call at 9.14 am.
“They arrived around 9.35am and managed to douse the flames in 20 minutes. Initial investigations found that the fire could have been caused by a short circuit in one of the units on the upper floor of the longhouse,” he said.
Meanwhile, the shouts of an octogenarian saved his daughter from being possibly trapped in the blaze.
Enchol Kulit, in his 80s, said he was resting at another longhouse when he noticed smoke and fire rising from the top of one of the units on the opposite block where his daughter Riti Enchol was staying.
“I shouted to alert the occupants but there seemed to be no one there so I assumed they had probably attending service at the nearby church. But my wife heard my shouts and called out repeatedly to our daughter and she then emerged,” he told Bernama.
Riti who operates a sundry shop at the longhouse said her losses amounted to about RM50,000 including the worth of her stock.
“I was taking my bath in the bathroom when I heard my mum’s shouts and quickly rushed out,” she said.
— BERNAMA
Websource:BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/newsindex.php?id=969298
Date:2013-08-11
Country:Malaysia