25 injured in Cengkareng fire

JAKARTA: Fire swept through a complex of shop-houses in Palem Lestari, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, on Thursday afternoon, leaving 25 people injured with burns.

An officer at the Cengkareng Police station said the victims were being treated at the nearby Cengkareng General Hospital. Two of the victims have been released, but the others are still being treated for serious burns.

Marcus E.H. Nusa, a doctor on duty in the emergency room, said he feared the victims might develop infections that would affect their respiratory systems.

"The fire started at about 3:35 p.m. We're still investigating the cause of the fire, but we suspect it was caused by a liquefied gas tank that exploded in a perfume shop," the policeman said.

The West Jakarta Fire Department deployed 11 trucks to the scene of the fire and they were able to extinguish the blaze in about three hours. -- JP