KOTA KINABALU: Ten houses in a Tawau village were razed early Monday (Nov 22), leaving 143 from 27 families homeless.

       The fire is believed to have started due to "resistance heating" from faulty wiring for a ceiling fan in the living room of one of the units.

       A department spokesman said the Tawau Fire and Rescue Department received a report at 6.21am involving a blaze at Kampung Kinabutan Besar, Batu 5, Jalan Apas.

       "However, there were no fatalities or injuries reported," he said, adding that six vehicles also caught fire in the incident.

       The fire was brought under control at 6.50am and the operation ended at 11.27am.