Tangerang faces rising cases of fire<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
Tangerang has seen at least 50 large fires in the past three
\nmonths, adding to the municipality's woes of massive layoffs and
\ndrought.<\/p>\n
The local fire department chief, Hendro Ruswiyanto, told The
\nJakarta Post over the weekend that most of the large fires had
\noccurred at factories, private residences and poultry farms.
\nTotal losses have been estimated at Rp 25 billion.<\/p>\n
No fatalities were reported in the fires.<\/p>\n
Hendro said most of the factory and house fires were caused by
\nshort circuits and faulty gas cylinder hoses.<\/p>\n
The latest fire broke out at PT Hasatama Kharisma, a
\nmanufacturer of rubber products on Jl. Industri II, Jatake
\nIndustrial Estate, Pasir Jaya subdistrict, Tangerang
\nmunicipality.<\/p>\n
According to Nurhadi, a staff member of the company's human
\nresources development division, the fire was caused by a gas
\ncylinder used to fuel the incinerator near one of the factory's
\nproduction machines.<\/p>\n
\"We're still calculating the total losses caused by the fire,\"
\nhe told the Post by phone last week.<\/p>\n
He said three of the factory machines's that were bought in
\n1997 for Rp 100 million each were totally destroyed, as were the
\nfactory warehouse and two tons of elasticized fabric used to make
\nbras.<\/p>\n
Siregar, 56, a resident in Tanah Tinggi subdistrict of
\nTangerang municipality, said he suffered nearly Rp 100 million in
\nlosses after his house was devoured by fire early this month.<\/p>\n
\"The fire was caused by a short circuit. I hadn't checked the
\nwiring since the house was built in 1982. It was my own
\nnegligence,\" said the father of three who now lives in a
\ntemporary kiosk near his burned-down house.<\/p>\n
Hendro said that people should regularly check the electrical
\nwiring and gas cylinder hoses in their homes and replace them
\nevery 10 years.<\/p>\n
He also said that the fire department found it difficult to
\nextinguish fires because it lacked facilities.<\/p>\n
According to Hendro, the fire department faced numerous
\nobstacles in fighting fires due to a lack of fire trucks, human
\nresources, communication, protective gear and office equipment.<\/p>\n
He said three of the department's eight fire trucks were in
\nneed of repair, but this office lacked the funds to pay for it.<\/p>\n
\"It costs Rp 50 million per year to maintain one fire truck,
\nbut we are only given Rp 1 million per truck per annum,\" he said.<\/p>",
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