Former deputy minister's house catches fire

Former deputy minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Chong Chieng Jen’s house in Jalan Nyiur, Kuching caught fire at 4.54 pm today.

Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department operations director Tiong Ling Hii said a team of firefighters from Tabuan Jaya and Batu Lintang Fire and Rescue stations was immediately deployed to the Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) chairperson’s house.

Kebakaran di rumah Timbalan Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna Chong Chieng Jen di Kuching dipercayai bermula dari sebuah bilik bilik bacaan. (Gambar Bernama)

“The operations commander reported that the upper floor of the two-storey house had caught fire, involving a reading room,” he said when contacted today.

Tiong said the firefighters took about 20 minutes to put out the fire.

The fire destroyed about 20 percent of the room and at the time of incident, there were five people - two men and three women - were in the house.

He said no injuries or fatalities reported and the cause of the fire and losses incurred were still under investigation.

It is understood that Chong (above), Stampin Member of Parliament, was in the house during the incident and efforts to obtain a response from him have been futile.

- Bernama