Fire destroys classrooms and houses at elementary school

JAKARTA (JP): Students of an elementary school located on Jl. K.S. Tubun II in Central Jakarta fled outside on Wednesday, some even taking chairs along with them, when a fire virtually gutted the second floor of the building.

No fatalities were reported in the fire.

An officer from Palmerah police subprecinct, Brig. Irwan, said that the fire was most likely caused by a stove, belonging to a school security guard, which exploded.

The security guard, Maryono, lives right behind the school.

"The stove was left on in his house... nobody switched it off. So, it exploded, at about 9:30 a.m.," Iwan told reporters at the subprecinct station.

"The fire not only burned down Maryono's small house, but also the houses of two other teachers next door and classes II and III, which were located on the second floor of the school building."

Iwan added that teachers and students were in class when they suddenly saw smoke billowing from the second floor of the school building.

"The teachers instructed students to take their classroom chairs outside, along with them," Iwan said.

Eleven fire-engines were called to the scene but only managed to extinguish the fire at about 11 a.m.

"The administrative office in the school building, where school certificates, diplomas of students and school records of students were kept, was virtually gutted."

Iwan added that material losses had yet to be estimated, but students who had studied at the school since kindergarten were at a serious loss, as all their records had been destroyed. (ylt)