Fifteen people from three families were left with only the clothes on their backs in a fire which destroyed three houses at Kampung Paloh, Pintu Geng on Friday.

The operation head at the Kota Darulnaim Fire and Rescue station, Senior Fire officer 1 Zainal Fitri Hussein said five engines with 27 firemen from the Kota Baharu station and an engine each from the Kota Darulnaim and Bandar Baharu Tunjang stations rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5.21pm.

The arrived at the scene at 5.25pm and took about half an hour to prevent the fire from spreading, he added.

He said there was no report of a casualty in the fire.

The fire was believed to have started about 4.45pm while most of the occupants were not at home.

A motorcycle which was parked at one of the houses was also destroyed.

The cause of the fire and losses incurred is being investigated.