KOTA KINABALU, A total of 18 semi-permanent houses was destroyed in a fire that occurred this afternoon in Kampung Kuala Abai, Kota Belud, 68 kilometres from here. The operations centre of the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) in Sabah said a call on the incident was received at about 3.43 pm before firemen were deployed to the scene 13 km away. 'The blaze was brought under control at 5.20 pm and extinguishing work was still being carried out using 500 feet of fire hose, including drawing open water from streams and a nearby river,' the centre said. The effort took 10 firemen from the Kota Belud Fire and Rescue station (BBP), eight personnel from the Tuaran BBP, the Kulambai Voluntary Fire Brigade (PBS) and Pangkalan Abai PBS to put out the fire together. No casualties were reported. Source: BERNAMA News Agency