KOTA KINABALU: Seven houses were destroyed in a fire at Kampung Tanjung Aru Baru today while the occupants were attending a wedding.
The incident occurred at 1.40pm, with all affected families reportedly away at a wedding ceremony in Putatan.
One of the homeowners, Mohd Yunus Mohd Daud, 64, said he was attending his nephew's wedding in Putatan with his family when the fire broke out.
"One of my children informed me about the fire.
"When we arrived, our house and other relatives' homes were already gone.
"Everything is gone—just the clothes on our backs remain.
"My wife, children, in-laws, and grandchildren have lost all our belongings. The house we lived in since 1960 is gone in an instant," said Yunus, a fisherman.
Meanwhile, Sabah Fire and Rescue Department State Operations Assistant Director, Senior Fire Superintendent I Taquiddin Victor Doon, said they received a distress call at 1.33pm.
No injuries or fatalities were reported.
The fire was brought under control at 4.35pm, with operations concluding at 5.49pm.
"The cause of the fire and estimated losses are still under investigation. The operation involved 33 personnel from the Kota Kinabalu, Putatan, Penampang, and Tanjung Aru Community fire stations," he said.