Agency says it keeps close eye on fire traps

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite a handful of high-profile slum fires in recent weeks, the Jakarta fire agency's education campaign in recent years has led to a significant decline in the overall number of blazes.

City fire agency deputy head Martono said Monday that his office would continue disseminating information about possible causes of fires and how to prevent them.

"We have talked to people in fire-prone areas about what may spark fire in their neighborhoods and how to prevent them from taking place. We have also distributed fire extinguishers to them," he told The Jakarta Post.

He did not say how many fire extinguishers had been given to residents in slum areas.

Martono said that special attention was given to slum areas such as those in Penjaringan and Penjagalan in North Jakarta, Tambora in West Jakarta, Kebon Kacang and Kebon Melati in Central Jakarta, as well as several other areas in East and South Jakarta.

According to data issued by the agency, the number of fires in the capital has decreased in the last six months to around 310 cases from around 407 cases over the same period last year.

Martono said fires had been continually decreasing from 854 in 2003 to 760 in 2004 and possibly to around 600 this year.

"We only have had around 300 in the first semester while we had around 400 in the first semester last year. So, we believe that less fire incidents will occur this year," he said.

Martono added that previous surveys by the fire agency showed that over 60 percent of fires were caused by electric short circuits.

He said that his office's review revealed that the decreasing number of fires was partly caused by an increase in awareness among Jakarta's residents about how to prevent fires from taking place.

"Since they are aware that fires are mostly caused by short circuits, households are now very careful when adding sockets or line extensions to their existing electricity installation," Martono said.

He said that formerly, most residents did not care and just added as many additional sockets as they wanted.

Police have also confirmed that several recent fires -- near Jl. Jaksa in Central Jakarta; in Sawangan, Depok; and in Pamulang, Tangerang -- all were caused by short circuits.

The decreasing number of fires reported also means that many small fires could be handled by residents before becoming bigger, a did not require a call to the fire station.

"Because they know how to handle fire themselves, they don't have to call us. We don't record fires if we are not involved in extinguishing them," Martono said.