Predawn fire razes about 200 wooden homes as crews battle wind and tides.

In the early hours of April 19, a fierce blaze ripped through Sandakan’s Kampung Bahagia water village, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing desperate residents to flee over darkened walkways and shallow tides.

Predawn Blaze Engulfs Kampung Bahagia
The Sabah Fire and Rescue Department reported that the fire in Kampung Bahagia, Sandakan, broke out at about 1.32 am on April 19. The blaze started in a water village area made up of tightly clustered wooden houses on stilts, a common settlement pattern along Sabah’s coast. Within a short time, the flames spread quickly through the neighborhood, catching residents off guard as they slept.

Around 200 Wooden Homes Destroyed
Officials estimated that about 200 homes were destroyed in the incident. Most of the affected houses were non-permanent structures, each measuring roughly 300 square feet, and built predominantly from timber and other combustible materials. The combination of lightweight construction and dense spacing meant that once the fire took hold, complete destruction of many units was almost inevitable.

Firefighters Face Access And Water Challenges
Firefighters from the Sandakan and Kinabatangan stations, including 35 personnel, were dispatched and arrived at the scene at about 1.48 am. However, narrow access routes into the water village prevented fire engines from reaching the heart of the blaze directly. Low tide further limited access to open water sources, complicating efforts to contain the fire. Crews resorted to using water from tankers and a pressurized hydrant at a nearby factory to sustain their operations.

Strong Winds Fuel Rapid Fire Spread
According to the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department, strong winds played a major role in driving the flames from house to house. The close spacing of the wooden stilt homes created a corridor effect that allowed the fire to jump quickly across walkways and platforms. These conditions made it difficult for responders to establish effective firebreaks and contributed to the scale of destruction across Kampung Bahagia.

Ongoing Operations And Multiagency Support
In an April 19 statement, authorities said firefighting operations were still under way and that the fire had not yet been brought under full control at the time of reporting. Zone Sandakan fire commander Jasri Ab Jal led the operation on the ground. He was supported by teams from Sabah Electricity, the Civil Defence Force, and the police, who helped secure the area, manage power lines, and coordinate crowd and traffic control.

No Casualties Reported Amid Widespread Damage
Despite the extensive structural losses, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department reported no casualties as of the latest update. Residents were believed to have evacuated quickly once the flames were visible, aided by early alerts and the sound of emergency vehicles. Authorities are expected to conduct further assessments to confirm the final number of displaced families and to evaluate damage to local infrastructure and essential services.

The destruction of about 200 homes in Sandakan’s Kampung Bahagia highlights the vulnerability of coastal stilt communities to fast-moving fires, especially where access and water supply are limited. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, many of whom live in or travel near similar waterfront settlements across the region, this incident underscores the urgent need for improved fire safety planning, better infrastructure, and stronger disaster preparedness in densely built informal neighborhoods.

Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Al Jazeera (2026)

Keywords: Sandakan Kampung Bahagia Fire, Sabah Fire Department, Wooden Stilt Houses, April 19 Blaze, Emergency Operations, Malaysia Incident