Fire destroys 12 houses

JAKARTA (JP): A fire razed 12 houses and a gasoline kiosk yesterday on Jl. Dr. Makaliwe, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta. But no fatalities were reported.

The fire, which started at 10 a.m., might have caused Rp 150 million (US$62,500) worth of damage, an officer at the Tanjung Duren police subprecinct said.

"We suspect the fire originated from the gasoline kiosk," he said.

He said the kiosk's owner, Saragih, told the police that one of his three employees had thrown a cigarette butt into a plastic drum containing gasoline.

Police are still hunting for the three employees.

West Jakarta Fire Brigade Chief Syamsir Makmur said 12 fire trucks extinguished the fire within an hour. (jun)