August 19, 2026

New Malaysia Times

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Fire Destroys 28 Stilt Houses on Sandakan Island, Emergency Responders Save 162 Nearby Homes

kampung nunuyan laut fire and rescue

SANDAKAN, Aug 19 — A total of 28 non-permanent stilt houses were destroyed in an early morning blaze at Kampung Nunuyan Laut on Nunuyan Laut Island today, though swift intervention by emergency responders prevented the flames from spreading to over 160 neighboring residences.

In a statement today, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Operations Centre confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident.

Authorities received an emergency call at 3:50 am and immediately dispatched a response team from the Sandakan Fire and Rescue Station to the island, situated 18 kilometres away. Reaching the scene required a complex logistical operation, with personnel traversing a six-kilometre land route to the Maritime Jetty before completing a 12-kilometre sea journey aboard a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) vessel.

Firefighters successfully brought the inferno under control by 5:45 am. The department highlighted that rapid tactical maneuvering by the firefighting crew successfully safeguarded 162 adjacent houses from being engulfed by the fire.

NMT