At least 1,000 lose homes in Kebon Melati inferno

At least 1,000 lose homes in Kebon Melati inferno

Bambang Nurbianto, Jakarta

Siti Rohayah's eyes were brimming with tears while she watched
firefighters struggling to put out the fire that destroyed her
home on Wednesday morning in the Kebon Melati subdistrict,
Central Jakarta.

The 30-year-old mother, who is expecting her eighth baby in
several days, lost everything in the fire. Helped by her mother
Umayah, 55, she rescued her children from the fire that quickly
spread from one house to another. Her husband, Umar Faruk, was
still working at the nearby Tanah Abang market when the incident
took place.

While their neighbors were also busy saving their belongings
-- hundreds of houses were razed by the fire -- Rohayah and
Umayah could only save some clothing.

All their belongings -- beds, a television set, CD players and
other items -- were destroyed.

"Rohayah was very shocked. She just stood still, without
knowing what to do, when the fire spread. Only when I told her to
run, she became aware of the fire," said Umayah, who came from
Bekasi on Tuesday to help Rohayah deliver her baby. "The only
thing in my mind was how to save my grandchildren."

The Central Jakarta Fire Department said at least 425 houses
in two community units were destroyed by the fire that started at
around 10:30 a.m.

However, the Kebon Melati subdistrict only recorded 120 houses
destroyed in the fire, leaving at least 1,160 people homeless.

Fireman Muhammad Idrus said 30 fire trucks were deployed and
firefighters managed to put out the fire after working for more
than two hours.

With an area of 661.52 square kilometers and 53 of its 267
subdistricts prone to fire, Jakarta has only 900 water hydrants,
far from the ideal number of 20,000.

Fire department records show that approximately 800 fires
occur in the capital every year, mostly caused by short circuits,
stove explosions and smoldering cigarettes butts.

Kebon Melati subdistrict chief Rusdi said the cause of the
fire was still unknown.

However, some witnesses claimed the fire came from a house in
neighborhood unit (RT) 17, community unit (RW) 14.

Munawaroh, another victim, said the residents had lit candles
because the power had been cut off since Tuesday evening,
following a short circuit in another area that also caused a
fire.

"I think someone forgot to put out the candles, which later
burned other things in the house," she said.

In the afternoon, the homeless people were seen hanging around
the site, talking to each other or just lying down under the open
sky near the railway line.

Some aid was already sent by the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI)
and the Jakarta Social Agency, but the victims were still in dire
need of tents to protect them from possible rain and scorching
heat. So far, only 10 small tents were available.

The campaign teams of presidential candidates Megawati
Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and members of the
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) visited the victims later on
Wednesday.

As the aid just arrived in the afternoon, the victims could
only start cooking at around 8 p.m. Those who could not wait
bought food from street vendors near the site.

As for Rohayah, she was still unsure where she would take
refuge. "Maybe my family will stay temporary with my parents in
Bekasi."