Apartments to be built in Karet Tengsin

JAKARTA: Central Jakarta Mayor Petra Lumbun said on Wednesday that the mayoralty planned to build low-cost apartments in the Karet Tengsin area, where fire razed 195 slum houses on Monday.

"The apartments have been planned for long time. It's an extension of the nearby apartments in the area," Petra told reporters at City Hall.

He said the construction of the apartments, which would consist of two 10-story blocks, would start next year.

Over 1,000 fire victims would be provided with temporary two- story shelters which would be built on the 3,000-square-meter site, he said.

He denied rumors that the fire had been intentionally started to facilitate the plan to build the apartments.

"It's too naive to suggest that the government burned the houses," Petra said.

Two people were injured in the fire but no fatalities were reported. --JP