Careless motorist razes family home

BOGOR: The carelessness of a motorist almost killed a family when the suspect, who is still at large, threw a cigarette butt into a gas kiosk owned by Didin, 40, and wife Titih, 36, in Parung Banteng village, Bogor.

Eyewitness Romly, a relative, said that the cigarette butt started a fire at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday that burned down both the kiosk and the house behind it.

Both victims suffered serious burns and were taken to the Indonesian Red Cross Hospital in Bogor, from where they will be transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Central Jakarta.

Neighbors managed to save the couple's 3-year-old daughter Nurul Azizah, 3.

It took four fire trucks, which arrived at the scene 30 minutes later, to extinguish the fire.

East Bogor police station chief Adj. Comr. Taryadi said they were investigating the case and searching for the motorist who caused the fire. -- JP