40 houses destroyed by fire at Bantar Gebang

BEKASI: Around 40 temporary houses at the Bantar Gebang dumpsite in Bekasi burned down on Sunday afternoon, leaving 240 scavengers homeless. No fatalities were reported during the incident.

Several victims fled to a nearby public health center for medical treatment. The homeless are currently staying at shelters.

Eyewitness Muchlis said the incident occurred when residents burnt garbage on the site. They had never burnt garbage before as the site management uses a sanitary landfill system.

Eight trucks with 48 firefighters were deployed to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire in half an hour.

The Bantar Gebang police station is currently handling the case. -- Antara