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The condition of the longhouse after the fire was extinguished.
KUCHING: Pakan assemblyman Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom is confident that assistance will pour in starting today to help the victims of the Rumah Selunsin fire in Pakan.
About 80 people were made homeless after the morning fire destroyed their 15-door longhouse located in Sungai Maram, Jalan Wak there.
Mawan, who is also Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) president, said even members of the union of their own free will had started organising a donation drive and passing the hat around towards helping the victims.
“This incident is very unfortunate, because tomorrow will be the eve of Gawai Dayak and the affected people have lost the festive mood or spirit.
“But all relevant government agencies and authorities have been alerted so emergency help gets delivered immediately,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post today.
Mawan said he could not immediately return to Pakan, as he had just arrived in Kuching from there, but would like to get to the bottom of things soon – especially on the cause of the fire and the well-being of the residents.
“I have also ordered the Pakan District Office to coordinate through Sarawak administrative officer Dana Ungki to alert all relevant agencies to act immediately.
“I may leave for Pakan again tonight or early tomorrow morning (May 31) to get firsthand accounts of what had gone wrong,” said Mawan.
In a statement from the Sarikei Fire and Rescue Department, no casualties were reported in the incident despite the front part of the longhouse being 100 per cent burnt and the rear part suffering 80 per cent damages.
The fire was fully doused at 2pm, it said.
It added that the 76 victims included three senior citizens, 14 children and two toddlers.
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