BINTULU: Two wooden shophouse blocks in Tubau bazaar were destroyed in a late night inferno yesterday (Aug 2).
Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported in the 11.55 pm incident. It was reported that a total of 13 residents managed to escape to safety.
A spokesman for the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said firemen from Bintulu station were promptly deployed to the scene, some 105km from the town.
The journey to reach the scene took almost two hours via Bintulu-Bakun road and the team had to cross a suspension bridge with their firefighting equipment to reach the bazaar, which was 60 metres from the bridge.
When they firefighters arrived the fire was still raging and a total of 31 shops were destroyed.
The team managed to extinguish the flames around 2.50 am with water sourced from a fire hydrant and the fire engine.
The firefighters completed their operation at 8 am.
The cause of the fire and losses incurred are still under investigation.
