Morning blaze rips through Pos Laju premises in Bekenu

Miri, Aug 29: A fire ravaged a Pos Laju premises in Bekenu, causing over 70 percent damage, early this morning. The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operation control centre received a distress call at around 8:44am, leading to the dispatch of firefighters from the Batu Niah Fire and Rescue Station, situated approximately 36 kilometres away.

Upon arrival, the team found the 40-by-40-foot building already ablaze. They promptly deployed a 400-foot hose line equipped with two water jets, utilizing water from a nearby river to combat the inferno. The blaze was extinguished within an hour and completely doused another hour later. Following the fire's containment, firefighters conducted a thorough overhaul to ensure no embers or hotspots remained that could reignite the fire.

Later, a fire investigation officer arrived to ascertain the incident's cause and evaluate the extent of the damage. Policemen, Rela, SESCO, and Pos Laju personnel were also present at the scene. The fire's origin and the estimated financial losses are still under investigation. The operation concluded around 12:30pm once the situation was deemed safe and controlled, after which the firefighters returned to their station.