By Author 
KOTA KINABALU, March 1 — Nearly 140 families were left homeless after a fire destroyed 80 wooden houses in Kampung Cempaka, Likas, early this morning.
The blaze, which broke out at 5.41am, affected 669 people from 139 families, with one to two families sharing a single house. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The incident comes just a day before the majority of the victims were set to begin the Ramadan fasting month tomorrow.
Lintas Fire and Rescue Station Chief Agustavia Joe Guasi said a distress call was received at 5.41am, prompting teams from the Lintas and Kota Kinabalu fire stations to rush to the scene.
“The fire spread rapidly due to the closely packed squatter houses, making it challenging for firefighters to contain,” she explained.
Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control by 7.32am, and the operation concluded at 11.57am.
Agustavia added that some victims are staying with relatives, while most have been relocated to the Likas community hall for temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire and the total estimated loss are still under investigation. — The Borneo Post