LIMBANG, 3 July 2025 — A potentially devastating blaze at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Medamit ended with only minor damage last night, thanks to the calm, quick‑thinking actions of teachers, wardens and security personnel who refused to panic when flames suddenly appeared in the boys’ dormitory block.
According to the Sarawak Operations Centre, the first distress call reached the Limbang Fire and Rescue Station at 8.07 pm. Firefighters immediately began the 43‑kilometre sprint from town, but by the time the crew arrived, school staff had already contained much of the threat using nine fire extinguishers and a network of garden hoses.
“When we got there barely 25 minutes later, only about eight per cent of the building was charred,” said Limbang Fire and Rescue chief Mohd Salleh Abang. “No pupils or staff were hurt. The school’s early intervention made all the difference.”
‘Kampung spirit’ meets modern readiness
SMK Medamit sits deep in rural Limbang, and residents are accustomed to looking out for one another. Last night, that traditional kampung spirit combined with modern safety drills: wardens cleared students from harm’s way while non‑teaching staff grabbed extinguishers positioned at every staircase. Their composure prevented a repeat of past boarding‑school disasters that once shocked Sarawak.
Lessons for every school
Fire‑rescue officers spent another hour checking hidden hotspots before declaring the site safe at 8.49 pm. Investigators will now determine the cause, but early indications point toward an electrical short‑circuit in a ceiling fan.
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While grateful parents praised the responders, they also credited regular fire‑safety briefings conducted each term. “We drill because rural help can take time to arrive,” principal Nancy Sia explained. “Last night proved that practice saves property—and possibly lives.”
Looking ahead
With classes resuming as normal this morning, the school has already begun repairing scorched panels. Meanwhile, the Limbang fire department urges other boarding schools—urban and rural alike—to review extinguisher placements, refresh evacuation maps and make sure every staff member knows how to pull a pin and sweep. The past shows preparedness is non‑negotiable; the future demands we get even better.
