Fire in Kampung Bahagia Malaysia Burns at Least 200 Houses

MALAYSIA – An early Sunday morning fire in Kampung Bahagia, a floating village in the coastal city of Sandakan, Malaysia, burnt down at least 200 houses, with rescue and relief operations getting launched by local authorities.

There were no reports of casualties.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was shocked when he learned of the fire, with the federal government and Sabag state government coordinating basic assistance and temporary accommodation for the victims.

Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station Chief Jimmy Lagung said that dozens of firefighters rushed to the scene after the station got a call about the fire at 1.32 am Sunday (1732GMT Saturday).

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.”