Another primary school destroyed in blaze
Published on: Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Ranau: Two blocks of buildings in SK Ranau, Kaingaran were destroyed in a fire here, shocking residents near Kg Kaingaran Ulu Sugut.District Fire and Rescue Department Chief Jimmy Lagung said the blaze occurred at about 9am on Saturday. "We received an emergency call from the public at about 9.05am…the school is too far away so we only arrived at the location at 11.04 am.
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"We rushed a fire engine as well as a utility vehicle manned by five personnel to the scene and on arrival we found two types of non-permanent school blocks on fire. "The first building which housed the storage facility and a surau was completely burned, while the ceiling of the second building was 50 per cent damaged," he explained."Our efforts focused on initiatives to prevent the fire from spreading to other school buildings," said Jimmy.Meanwhile, SK Kaingaran headmaster, Abdul Lahin Karim estimated the losses to be about RM850,000.
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He said, the fire was believed to have been caused by an electricity short circuit in one of the premises involved, adding that thankfully there were no casualties. It was reported in August that SK Pulau Salakan and Tabika Kemas Pulau Salakan were also destroyed in a fire in Salakan island in Semporna. Nobody was reported hurt in the incident.
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In June last year, one block of SK Dualog in Kudat became the sixth primary school in the State to suffer a similar fate. No casualty was reported as the school was closed for the holiday.On May 15 the same year, one block of SK Penimbawan, Tuaran was gutted in a fire which destroyed Primary Six, Primary Two and Primary Three classrooms, the teachers room, library, rehabilitation centre and the administration room, while the pre-school was spared from further damage.On May 5, two blocks of SK Tampasak, Kinarut in Papar were razed, resulting in the damage of four classrooms, the library, Internet Access Centre, textbook storeroom and rehabilitation centres, while two other blocks were not affected.A school block at SK Simpangan in Kota Marudu was also razed barely nine hours later where four classrooms, the headmaster's office, school senior assistant offices, clerk office, surau, teacher's toilet, car garage and 120 chairs, among others, were damaged.In March, SK Pekan Kiulu in Tuaran and SK Gadong in Beaufort were destroyed in fires the same day.SK Pekan Kiulu lost one block that housed six classes, an administration office and resource centre, affecting about 187 pupils in the afternoon fire.Classes resumed with pupils undergoing lessons under temporary tents placed under the flats parking area.At SK Gadong, the fire destroyed the school's administration office, resource centre and sports storerooms but no lessons were cancelled in 11 classrooms.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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