22yo disabled man dies in Tatau squatter fire that destroys 30 homes

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By DayakDaily Team

TATAU, Dec 26: A devastating fire at a squatter settlement in Seberang Pekan Sangan here late Thursday night (Dec 25) claimed the life of a 22-year-old man with disabilities and destroyed 30 homes.

Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Tatau responded to the emergency at 11.18pm following a report of a fire involving 31 non-permanent squatter houses near SK Sangan Iban.

A seven-member fire team rushed to the scene and found the blaze had completely destroyed 30 houses, while one house was successfully saved.

Operations commander PBT II Herudin Ealhi reported that the fire location posed major challenges as it was situated across a river with no road access.

The fire team had to transport firefighting equipment using villagers’ boats to cross the river and reach the affected area.

Firefighting operations were conducted using a 400-foot hose line, a dividing breeching and two nozzles connected to a GP10/10 portable pump, with water sourced directly from the nearby river.

The operation managed to prevent the fire from spreading further, saving one house and a nearby school.

At about 2.36am, firefighters discovered the body of a male victim, identified as Geruna Enchana, who was believed to be a person with disabilities. He was found burnt at the scene. The victim’s body was later handed over to the police for further investigation.

A total of 23 families, involving 97 people, were affected by the fire.

Other agencies present at the scene included the police, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Tatau District Office and Sarawak Enforcement and Security Unit (UKPS).

Firefighters remained at the scene until the fire was fully extinguished and the area declared safe before returning to the station. — DayakDaily

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