January worst month ever for fire deaths<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city fire agency's monthly evaluation has
\nfound this month to be the worst on record for fire victims with
\nsix people killed and one injured.<\/p>\n
Fire department records show this was the first time six
\npeople had died in a month.<\/p>\n
\"Sixty-three fire accidents were recorded during the month and
\nthe total damage loss was estimated at Rp 6 billion (US$2.5
\nmillion),\" agency chief Suharso said.<\/p>\n
The victims of January's fire were residents of Taman Sari
\narea in West Jakarta, and the nearby Sawah Besar district.<\/p>\n
Four out of the six Taman Sari victims were killed in a fire
\nwhich gutted a four-story shop\/house on Jan. 7. The building
\nhoused a home garment producing factory, he said.<\/p>\n
A mother and her baby were among the victims of the fire which
\nwas caused by a short circuit, Suharso said.<\/p>\n
Two men were killed in the Sawah Besar fire.<\/p>\n
\"The fire, which was caused by the explosion of a kerosene
\nstove, razed 31 houses and left 48 families homeless,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"January's fire included the ones which hit the popular Pasar
\nBaru Shopping Center and old Tanah Abang market place in Central
\nJakarta, \" he said.<\/p>\n
The fire at Tanah Abang on Jan. 27 followed a clash between
\nstreet vendors and city public order officers.<\/p>\n
A district head's office and seven security officers' cars
\nwere burnt.<\/p>\n
Official estimation of losses from the Tanah Abang riot and
\nfire was Rp 1 billion, he said.<\/p>\n
On the same day, the major shopping center at Pasar Baru was
\nalso hit by fire. More than 300 shops were razed.<\/p>\n
Most of the shops were in the Harco Plaza and the King Plaza
\nshopping centers.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi said losses from the Pasar
\nBaru fire were about Rp 2 billion.<\/p>\n
Suharso said 38 of January's fires were caused by short
\ncircuits.<\/p>\n
\"The rest were caused by, among other things, kerosene stove
\nexplosions,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Suharso said last year fire burnt down 5,474 houses, leaving
\n25,912 people homeless.<\/p>\n
He said 413 of last year's fires were caused by short circuits
\nand 87 by stove explosions.<\/p>\n
Last year 17 people were killed and 64 injured in fires here.
\nThe total loss caused by the 723 fires in 1996 was Rp 61.9
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Suharso said last year's most serious fire happened during the
\nmass riot on July 27 in which several public buildings were
\ndamaged.<\/p>\n
Suharso said Jakarta had 2,601 firefighters, 158 fire engines
\nand 559 fire hydrants.<\/p>\n
\"The city needs 13,000 hydrants, one every 200 meters, in
\norder to cover the city's 65 hectares, Suharso said\". (ste)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/january-worst-month-ever-for-fire-deaths-1447893297",
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