Boy, 12, dies in Tawau fire

A 12-year-old boy, identified as Jackson Zack, was tragically killed in a fire that reduced approximately 30 houses to ashes in Kampung Sentosa Block 4, Hilltop, Tawau, Malaysia, on the morning of October 17, 2022. Tawau Fire and Rescue Department chief Moiley Milin reported that firefighters discovered the victim's remains in a room upon their arrival at the scene.

The fire department received an emergency call at 6:44 am and dispatched their resources, comprising 47 personnel, to the location just three minutes later. The challenge faced by the fire-fighting team was exacerbated by the absence of fire hydrants, narrow access roads, and the proximity of the houses to one another, which hampered their efforts.

One of the victims, Bakri Syarifuddin, recounted that the fire erupted as he was en route to drop off his child at school. He expressed his distress, stating, "I rushed home and saw the house engulfed in flames. It was chaotic. We only managed to save our personal documents. Everything else was destroyed." Bakri further revealed that the deceased boy was the nephew of his wife.