Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], April 20: Up to 1,000 houses were destroyed and around 9,000 people affected by a massive fire in the Malaysian coastal village of Sandakan, authorities told local media on Sunday.
There were initially no reports of fatalities, but some residents suffered minor injuries while trying to save personal belongings, The Star newspaper reported.
The fire broke out in the early morning hours on Sunday in the densely populated Kampung Bahagia neighbourhood in the Batu Sapi district and quickly spread to numerous stilt houses.
According to the police chief, the area was declared a disaster zone at around 4 am (2000 GMT on Saturday). The area comprises around 1,200 houses on stilts.
Around four hectares were destroyed, roughly equivalent to five and a half football pitches, the Free Malaysia Today newspaper reported.
Cooking accident possible cause? A cooking accident is considered a possible cause, according to media reports including in the Malay Mail.
Firefighting efforts were hampered by narrow access routes, strong winds and limited access to water at low tide, emergency services said.
Datuk Walter Kenson, head of the Sandakan District Disaster Management Committee, said examination of the village found the homes of the affected residents "are no longer safe to live in".
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on social media that the country was "deeply moved" by the reports of hundreds of village homes destroyed. The top priority now is to provide support and emergency accommodation, he said.
"The priority now is the safety of the victims and assistance the ground," he said in a Facebook post.
Source: Qatar Tribune