10 feared trapped in Mt. Slamet fire
10 feared trapped in Mt. Slamet fire
PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): Ten hikers are feared to be
trapped by a fire on Central Java's Mt. Slamet, which started on
Sunday, according to local police.
"We asked them to come down, but they ignored our request and
we had to leave them," Banyumas Police chief Sr. Comr. Nata
Kesuma said on Monday, adding that he was with 130 police
officers trekking on the mountain when the fire started.
"They might have found it difficult to find a safe route down
because the fire has destroyed a lot of bushes and forest," he
said.
He said the police were taking part in a hiking program, the
final part of a series of tests for Sabhara police troops.
Purbalingga Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sofyan Abadi was also
present during the training.
"We started trekking at 5 a.m. and saw no signs of a fire. But
as we reached a certain level at about noon, some officers said
they saw smoke, suspecting that it was from a bush or forest fire
on the mountain. Soon after, we decided to descend and saw many
people trekking. About ten people refused to join us and come
down," Nata recalled.
The fire is located at about 3,000 meters above sea level on
the 3,418-meter-high mountain. Mt. Slamet, located in the regency
of Tegal, is the highest mountain in Central Java.
Until Monday, efforts to extinguish the fire had been
fruitless.
Meanwhile, Banyumas Timur Forestry Office spokesman Sudiman
said that 12 people, nine villagers living on the mountain's
slopes and three people from the forestry office, had been trying
to put the fire out using wooden clubs.
"They just clobbered the burning bushes. That's all they could
do. There is no spring water up there," he said.
"So far, we have yet to be informed about the total area
destroyed by the fire. We also don't know what caused the fire,"
Sudiman said.
In 1982, around 120 hectares of forest on the mountain was
destroyed by fire.
Another fire engulfed Mt. Slamet in September 1995, destroying
at least 152 hectares of forest area. As many as 22 people were
trapped in the fire for 48 hours before rescuers could save them.
(45/sur)