World · Malaysia Bureau
Major fire engulfs Kota Kinabalu squatter settlement, 39 firefighters deployed
Authorities mobilised nearly 40 personnel to combat a significant blaze that swept through stilt houses in Kampung Numbak early Friday morning. The fire department moved quickly to contain the spread across the informal settlement.
LSN Malaysia ·
A substantial fire broke out in the early hours of Friday in Kampung Numbak, a squatter area in Kota Kinabalu, destroying multiple stilt houses in the tightly-packed residential zone. Emergency responders deployed 39 personnel to the scene to battle the blaze and prevent it from spreading further through the wooden structures.
The rapid mobilisation of firefighting resources proved critical in containing the incident, which posed significant risk to the densely populated informal settlement. Stilt houses, commonly constructed from timber and other combustible materials, are particularly vulnerable to fire hazards and can enable flames to spread swiftly between structures.
The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities are working to assess the full extent of damage and determine whether there were any casualties among residents. The incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by informal settlements in managing fire safety risks in the region.