Fire destroys 400 houses

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Fire destroyed at least 400 houses in the densely populated subdistrict of Pelambuan in Banjarmasin, the capital of South Kalimantan on Wednesday evening, leaving some 2,300 people homeless.

No fatalities were reported.

Governor Sjachriel Darham and the Mayor of Banjarmasin, Sofyan Arpan, handed over aid, including food on Thursday for the fire victims. The homeless families are staying in mosques, school buildings and temporary shelters made available by the local administration a safe distance away from the site of the fire.

Police were still in the dark about the cause of the fire and the total loss inflicted by the fire.

The houses were situated along the bank of the Barito River, not far from Trisakti Port.

Coordinator of the fire department, Suryani, said fire fighters found it difficult to extinguish the fire as the fire engines could not pass along the narrow pathways leading to the fire site. Strong wind was also blamed for the ravaging fire.

"We have deployed more than 90 fire engines," Suryani said. (32)