KOTA KINABALU, March 11 — About 30 stilt houses in the water village of Kampung Lok Urai, Pulau Gaya here are still engulfed in a fire believed to have started at about 8.30pm today.

A Sabah Fire and Rescue Department spokesman confirmed the incident when contacted and said that firefighting efforts were still underway at the time of this report.

"Currently, no loss of life has been reported and residents have escaped by jumping into the sea,” the spokesman said, adding that Sabah firefighters from the mainland were dispatched by boats to conduct firefighting and rescue efforts.

Several photos and videos shared by netizens, which had gone viral on social media earlier, showed the raging fire that could be seen from the Kota Kinabalu coastline here. — Bernama