The fire started early Sunday in the Sandakan district, the fire and rescue department said. It spread rapidly through rows of wooden houses constructed on stilts above the sea, with strong winds and the close proximity of the structures helping fuel the blaze, officials reported.
Narrow access routes and low tide conditions made it harder for emergency crews to reach affected areas and contain the flames, officials added. No deaths have been reported, multiple media sources indicate, but thousands of residents have been forced from their homes and moved to temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed and remains under investigation, according to multiple reports. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said federal and state agencies were coordinating relief efforts, with immediate assistance focused on displaced families. According to Sabah's Daily Express, village head Sharif Hashim Sharif Iting described the cause as a cooking fire that got out of control.