A total of 62 houses and a mosque were destroyed in a fire at a water village in Kampung Sri Aman 2 here yesterday.

Tawau Fire and Rescue Department chief Jemishin Ujin said the station received a call about the fire at 7.46am, and a firefighting team was sent to the scene.

“On arrival, the team found the houses were built too close together.

“The receding sea water at the time made it challenging for them to extinguish the flames quickly.

“They had to draw water from a fire hydrant on the main road located 183m away.”

He said the situation was complicated by strong winds, which made it hard to anticipate the direction of the fire.

“The team had to make two fire breaks by demolishing two houses to ensure the fire did not spread. There was also a collapsed bridge preventing us from putting out the fire, and we had to ask the villagers to help lift the pump.”

However, Jemishin said 250 houses were saved due to the fire breaks and the fire was brought under control by 9.20am.

He added that no casualties were reported, and the cause of the fire and the loss incurred are under investigation.

Wati Majuran, 30, recounted the moment she saw the fire.

“I was sweeping under the stairs when my 4-year-old son shouted from the top of the house, ‘Mother, mother, fire, fire!’ I rushed upstairs and saw the fire had spread to the kitchen. My children were in the room, some asleep.

“I panicked and only thought about saving my children.” She said she grabbed their birth certificates before fleeing.

Hotel worker Karim Abdul, 40, said he received a phone call about the fire and rushed to the scene.

“When I arrived, the house was engulfed in flames. Alhamdulillah, the children and other residents are safe, but the fire spread quickly, and the winds made it worse.”