KANOWIT, Nov 9 — A 24-door longhouse, Rumah Seliau at Sungai Tuah here, was badly damaged in a fire on Monday.

The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) operations centre said it received a call about the incident at 1.39am.

“Sixteen firefighters from Kanowit and Sibu Jaya fire stations were deployed to the scene, about 46km away.

“The fire involved a permanent-structure longhouse measuring approximately 430 feet by 100 feet, with an estimated 80 per cent of the building destroyed,” it said in a statement.

It said no casualties or deaths were reported.

The fire was brought under control at 3.53am while the operation ended at 8.23am after overhaul work to ensure no remaining sources of fire or hidden embers could cause the blaze to reignite. — The Borneo Post