KUCHING: A longhouse in Saratok might have been burnt to ashes had it not been for the fast motion of its residents who put out the blaze earlier than firefighters arrived.
Anthony Gasah, one of many residents of Rumah Dennis Nyalamba, stated he was exterior the longhouse on the night of Jan 11 when he heard cries for assist.
“I could see a lot of smoke inside and outside the longhouse. I immediately directed some of our youngsters to take the fire extinguishers from the longhouse to put out the flames.
“I told them not to save their belongings but to extinguish the fire first because if they were to try to save their things, the fire would spread,” he associated.
Anthony was one among seven longhouse residents who obtained certificates of appreciation from the state Fire and Rescue Department yesterday for his or her heroic motion.
He stated the fire began in one of many bilik (household condominium) of the longhouse and unfold rapidly by the room.
It took the residents about 10 minutes to place out the fire.
“If we had not acted promptly, our longhouse would have been gone and people would have died.
“There was a four-year-old boy in the room. We didn’t know he was there at first as he was hiding under a blanket but he started crying when we were using the fire extinguishers,” Anthony stated.
Twin brothers Evanda Dana Manan and Evanhoe Melaka Manan, 18, who additionally helped to douse the flames, stated they had been taught easy methods to use fire extinguishers at school.
“I’m thankful for the training. We were able to put it to use when the fire occurred,” Evanda stated.
Evanhoe added that this was the primary time they encountered a fire and had to make use of the extinguishers positioned on the longhouse.
By the time the Fire and Rescue Department personnel members arrived on the longhouse after receiving the misery name at 5.04pm, the fire had already been put out.
The firefighters monitored the scenario to make sure it was protected and handled the proprietor of the bilik who suffered burns to his foot.
State Fire and Rescue director Datuk Khirudin Drahman recommended the longhouse residents for his or her swift response.
“The first five minutes are the most critical in responding to any emergency. Through their action, they were able to save their longhouse,” he stated, including that their instance ought to encourage others to study the fundamentals of utilizing a fire extinguisher.
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