SANDAKAN: A fire destroyed 90 houses in the Kampung Gas water village here, leaving 400 villagers homeless.
The fire affected five areas, from Jambatan Satu to Jambatan Lima, according to a statement from the state Fire and Rescue Department.
It said that firemen were able to put out the blaze before it spread to seven other areas, from Jambatan Enam to Jambatan 12, and a nearby sawmill.
The statement added that 22 officers and personnel, led by Superintendent Anddre Andrew, rushed to the scene in four trucks after being alerted at 1.56pm.
Firefighters from Karamunting Volunteer Firefighting Squad and the IOI Factory Emergency Response Team also assisted in the operation.
Efforts to put out the fire were hampered by low water pressure, low tide and a change in the wind direction.
The blaze was finally brought under control at 4.15pm and extinguished at 5.39pm, the statement said, adding that the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
A victim, Nasrun Abdul Ghani, 63, told Bernama that this was the second time that his house was destroyed by fire. The first incident, he said happened in 1994.
He said his family of seven could only save their clothes, some important documents and an electric rice cooker.
Other household items, including a refrigerator, washing machine, television and furniture, were destroyed, he added.
The fire spread quickly due to the close proximity of the houses and strong wind, he said, adding that his family would seek temporary shelter at his relatives' home in the same village. -- BERNAMA