TAWAU: Six families were left with only the clothes on their backs after a pre-dawn blaze wiped out their homes in this east-coast town.
The fire broke out in one of the homes as the 30-odd residents were asleep, but they managed to flee their houses near Taman Damai, Jalan Damai, at about 2.20am yesterday.
Fire alarms woke the victims, including children, who fled their homes in time as the fire was quickly spreading.
They were unable to salvage any of their personal documents or belongings, according to firemen.
Tawau Fire and Rescue Department station chief Jemishin Ujin said there were no fatalities or injuries.“So far, the fire has only involved the loss of property,” he said in a statement.
The incident, he said, destroyed six semi-permanent houses.
Jemishin said distress calls came in at 2.34am and they dispatched 19 members in four fire engines to the scene.
“On arrival, firemen found that the houses had already been destroyed,”he said.
The operation ended at 4am.
