E. Jakarta fire leaves 700 homeless

E. Jakarta fire leaves 700 homeless

INDONESIA: A devastating fire razed hundreds of overcrowded houses in Pedongkelan, Pulogadung district, East Jakarta, on Saturday morning, leaving hundreds of families homeless.

No fatalities were reported in the incident.

The fire began at 10 a.m. at a house belonging to nasi uduk (rice cooked in coconut milk) vendor, Ahmad. It spread quickly as winds fanned the flames, burning most of the houses in the area, made of wood and plywood.

Hundreds of panicking residents attempted to extinguish the fire by pouring drain water onto it but failed as the flames were too intense.

Ten fire trucks deployed to the scene were also unable to extinguish the fire immediately due to the high housing density and narrow paths in the area.

Eventually, the fire was extinguished at 11:30 a.m., after razing houses in neighborhood units 2 and 3 and dozens of other houses in neighborhood unit 4.

Pulogadung Police subprecinct chief Comr. Syamsurizal told The Jakarta Post that the fire had left 700 residents, or 204 families, homeless.

Some residents, who managed to save their belongings, put them along the roadside on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, causing heavy traffic congestion. -- JP