SIMUNJAN – The people of Kampung Sageng Hilir received immediate attention from their State Assemblyman (ADUN), Awla Dris, after a fire destroyed a house in the village on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident, which occurred at around 2.20pm, completely razed the home of 63-year-old Jemat Engge, leaving him and his family homeless. All their belongings were lost in the blaze, but fortunately, no lives were reported lost.
Awla, who was in Kuching at the time, rushed back to Simunjan to personally visit the victims. During her visit, she expressed deep sympathy for the affected family and handed over an initial cash donation to help them cope with their immediate needs.
“I am very sympathetic to the plight of the victim’s family. God willing, we will work with the relevant agencies to provide emergency assistance and look for ways to help them rebuild their lives,” she said.
She emphasised that the priority now is to ensure the victims have temporary shelter and access to basic necessities such as food and clothing. Awla also called on the public to lend a hand by donating essential items, especially clothing and food supplies, to ease the burden of the victims while waiting for official aid.
Meanwhile, Simunjan Fire and Rescue Station chief, Nazari Harun, reported that his team received the distress call at 2.36pm and arrived at the location within four minutes.
“The firefighting team faced challenges with low water pressure in the early stages of the operation. However, the fire was brought under control within 10 minutes and fully extinguished shortly after,” he said.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of the damages.
This incident highlights the importance of community support and quick response from authorities in times of crisis, ensuring affected families receive both compassion and assistance. — UKAS EDITION
