Fire Tragedy in Sabah: Five Children Lose Lives; Pregnant Woman Taken to Hospital
A tragic fire broke out on Monday afternoon in Sabah, leading to the heartbreaking deaths of five children
KOTA KINABALU: A tragic fire broke out on Monday afternoon in Sabah, leading to the heartbreaking deaths of five children, including three belonging to a pregnant woman who was rushed to the hospital for care. This incident has cast a shadow of grief over the local community.
The deceased have been identified as Raisa, aged four, along with her younger sisters, Raidah, three, and Raina, one. Two neighboring children, Almidah, 14, and Siti Faridah, three, were also lost in the fire. Their bodies were found in the bathroom, illustrating the harrowing reality of the incident.
Agustavia Joe Guasi, the Chief of the Lintas Fire and Rescue Services Department, indicated that the fire erupted while the pregnant woman was in labor. “She was preparing to leave for the Likas Women and Children’s Hospital when the fire started,” Guasi detailed, shedding light on the tragic circumstances.
A distress call was received at 12:44 PM, leading to a prompt response from 33 firefighters from the Lintas, Kota Kinabalu, and Putatan stations. The fire broke out at Jalan Lembaga Padi, Lorong Burung Keleto in Likas, spreading rapidly and resulting in the destruction of three homes, a storeroom, and a sundry shop.
“The pregnant woman was taken to the hospital, where we understand she has since given birth,” Guasi continued, but no personal details about her have been released yet.
In an emotional recounting, Wahid Maulan, 44, the father of the two deceased girls, spoke of his grief. A construction worker, he had last seen his daughters, Siti Faridah and Almidah, just a day earlier, having promised them some money upon his return from work in Kota Belud.
“I said goodbye and asked them to pray for my work. I never anticipated that would be the last time I would see them,” he said, the sorrow evident in his voice.
After learning about the fire, Wahid hurried back from Kota Belud, only to face the heartbreaking truth of losing his daughters. “This trial is extremely difficult, but I accept it as Allah’s will that they were taken from us at such a young age,” he said, battling the pain of his loss.
