SEMPORNA: About 50 wooden houses were razed at Kampung Simunul here.
No casualties were reported in the fire which damaged houses in an area of about two hectares.
A spokesman with the Fire and Rescue department said a team was dispatched to the scene after a distress call was received at 7.44pm.
"A fire engine reached the scene located at the edge of town within minutes," he said adding a second fire engine arrived from Tawau in about an hour.
The fire was put out at about 9.40pm , the spokesman said adding investigations are on to find out the cause of the fire.
Kampung Simunul is also the village where six policemen were killed by armed men two years ago in the failed intrusion by followers of the self proclaimed Sulu Sultanate.