Major Fire Engulfs 1,000 Floating Homes in Sandakan Malaysia, 9,007 Residents Affected
A major fire struck a floating house settlement in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, in the early hours of Sunday, April 19, 2026. The fire, which spread rapidly due to the predominantly wooden building conditions, caused around 1,000 homes to burn and affected an estimated 9,007 residents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia has conducted monitoring through coordination with the Indonesian Consulate General in Kota Kinabalu and the Directorate of Protection for Indonesian Citizens. In their official statement on Monday, April 20, 2026, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed that, to date, there are no reports of Indonesian casualties.
This incident, which occurred while most residents were resting, was difficult for local firefighters to control at first. Videos of the event circulating on social media show flames quickly consuming the floating settlement area.
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