Conservation official dies in Tangkoko fire

BITUNG, North Sulawesi: An environment official was killed on Saturday in a forest fire that razed dozens of hectares of Tangkoko Forest Reserve.

Several witnesses said on Monday that Fahrenheit Pontomudis, 45, head of the North Sulawesi Natural Resource Conservation Body, was killed by a tree that fell on him while he was helping firefighters combat the blaze.

Bitung Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. A.P. Simanjuntak confirmed the Fahrenheit's death. He added no autopsy would be performed at the request of Fahrenheit's family. -- JP