Firefighters putting out the fire

Bandar Seri Begawan - Here we go again, another fire in Kampong Ayer! Curious onlookers gathered at the walkways surrounding Brunei's famous water village yesterday after word of mouth had spread around town that smoke was billowing above Kampong Ujong Tanjong.

According to the Fire & Rescue Department, the cause of the fire was most likely an overheated electrical plug for a refrigerator that had been switched on 24 hours a day.

Following a distress call, the diligent personnel from the Fire & Rescue Department rushed to the scene to put out a massive fire at a house near the PDG Hj Md Salleh Primary School and Yayasan Shopping Complex.

Unfortunately, the fire soon spread to two other houses.

As a result of the fire, which occurred at 10.39pm, close to 30 people from five families in Kg Ujong Tanjong, were rendered homeless. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.

Showing his concern for the welfare of the fire victims, the Minister of Home Affairs, Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan bin Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohd Yussof, also rushed to the scene with other senior officers from the ministry and the Fire & Rescue Department.

Under the guidance of Acting Senior Superintendant Hj Mohammad bin Hj Sulaiman, the Commanding Officer of Operation 'D', 25 personnel from Operation `D' (comprising Marine, Sungai Kebun and Pelancaran) and Operation 'A (from Bandar Seri Begawan Fire Station), the fire was extinguished within 15 minutes.

Estimated loss as a result of the fire amounted to $230,000.

A visibly shaken Abd Kadir Hj Mat Yasin, one of the fire victims, told the Sunday Bulletin that memories of a major inferno that struck the water village over a decade ago were still fresh in his mind.

"I had just finished some renovation work on my house last week," the father of three said as he gazed over his now charred dwelling.

Another fire victim, Hj Jainin bin Ibrahim had decided to take a stroll around Bandar Seri Begawan early that morning, said that he would seek shelter at a relative's house in Rimba.

"I was only informed about the fire by a passer-by in town'," said the unemployed man.
A Kg Ayer resident, HjhAsiah Hj Kalong, meanwhile, drew the Sunday Bulletin's attention to the eight houses that remained standing in the area. According to her, the families living at those houses Were waiting to be moved to resettlement houses.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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