Fire destroys 200 homes in Sabah coastal village, displacing 445

Strong winds and low tide hampered firefighting efforts in the Malaysian water village built on stilts.

A fire destroyed approximately 200 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia's Sabah state early Sunday morning, displacing around 445 people according to unofficial figures from a temporary relief centre¹. Authorities were notified of the blaze in Sandakan district at about 1:32 a.m. local time on Sunday¹.

The fire broke out in one of Sabah's water villages, where wooden houses are built on stilts¹². These communities are home to some of Malaysia's poorest residents, including stateless and indigenous groups¹. The village affected by the fire was identified as Kampung Bahagia².

Jimmy Lagung, the district's fire and rescue chief, said strong winds and the close proximity of houses caused the fire to spread rapidly¹. Low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open water source for firefighting efforts¹.

Displaced residents have registered at a temporary relief centre in Sandakan, where authorities are focusing on safety and immediate aid for victims¹. Walter Kenson, head of the Sandakan District Disaster Management Committee, was examining the village after the fire¹.

The blaze spread quickly overnight due to the combination of strong winds and tightly packed wooden houses². The state news agency Bernama reported the incident¹.