PAKAN, May 30: Tragedy struck 15-door Rumah Selunsin located at Jalan Pakan, Ulu Wak here after it was burnt down a mere two days before the Gawai Dayak celebrations.
It has been reported that all the meticulous preparations and arrangements made for the festivities were tragically lost in the blaze when the fire broke out at 10.36am today, swiftly devouring the entire longhouse.
The longhouse was home to 76 residents, including two infants.
According to a spokesperson from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), all the occupants managed to escape prior to the arrival of the firefighting teams from the Bintangor and Sarikei stations.
Upon arrival at the scene, the commanding officer reported that the front section of the longhouse, including the living room and upstairs bedrooms, suffered complete devastation, while the rear structure was successfully salvaged.
Using water from a nearby pond, the firefighters successfully extinguished the raging flames.
By 11.35am, the fire was brought under control. However, Bomba are still in the process of ensuring the safety and integrity of the area affected by the fire. — DayakDaily
