BINTULU – A fire completely destroyed 43-door Rumah Ugop Umpin at Jalan Sebauh Kampung Binyu, near here on Saturday night.
According to the Fire and Rescue Department, a distress call was received at 12.41am.
“The location of the longhouse is about 142-km from here and only four-wheel drive vehicles can access the site via a farm road. It is estimated it took firefighters around three hours to reach the site,” it said in a statement.
Short video clips shared by the Fire and Rescue Department showed desperate residents trying to extinguish the fire on their own.
Some used fire extinguishers to no avail as the fire had spread to almost every unit of the longhouse.
The number of residents affected, the cause of the fire and total losses have yet to be ascertained as of press time. – June 2, 2024