A huge blaze swept across a floating village in Sandakan has left more than a thousand homes razed and left approximately 9,000 residents displaced. Amid the chaos and panic, one man risked his life by running back into the fire, not to save belongings, but to rescue helpless cats trapped in the inferno.
Over 1,000 homes destroyed in Sandakan fire
The massive fire broke out in the early hours of Sunday at Kampung Bahagia, Batu Sapi in Sandakan, reducing over a thousand homes to ashes within hours.
The blaze spread rapidly due to the tightly packed wooden structures and narrow pathways, leaving residents helpless as they watched their homes disappear in flames.
While others were evacuating, one brave man ran into the fire to save the cats
As people screamed “Fire! Run!” and rushed to safety, one man heroically did the exact opposite.
According to videos circulating online, the man was seen moving from one spot to another inside the fire zone, searching for trapped cats with some hidden in corners, others still inside cages.
Utusan Malaysia reported that another resident, Sharifah Saadah, 33, mentioned that she first heard about the incident through a phone call from her sister.
At the time of the incident, she was at her in-laws’ house and could only watch in heartbreak as the home she grew up in was engulfed by flames. However, she found some relief in knowing that all 10 of her cats were safely rescued.
While many residents lost their homes in the devastating blaze, the man’s bravery has touched hearts across social media.
Emergency aid mobilised for 9,000 displaced in Kampung Bahagia fire
The Central Disaster Management Committee have launched a coordinated emergency response after a massive fire destroyed a large part of Kampung Bahagia in Sandakan, Sabah, displacing a total of 9,007 residents.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the committee is working closely with both federal and Sabah state authorities to ensure that essential needs such as food, shelter, and welfare assistance are delivered quickly to affected families. He stressed that the immediate priority is the safety and well-being of victims, as many have lost their homes overnight.
According to him, Batu Sapi Umno machinery have been mobilised to assist with registration at temporary evacuation centres and to distribute initial aid.
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