Fire destroys Kali Jodoh area

Hundreds of residential houses doubling as brothels at the illegal Kali Jodoh prostitution complex in Pejagalan sub- district, North Jakarta were reduced to ashes when a fire razed the area on Tuesday.

A total of 220 houses were burned down, leaving 1,100 families homeless, Sinar Pagi reported. No casualties were reported.

The daily said the fire victims are being temporarily accommodated in several mosques, makeshift tents and houses of their neighbors which were not gutted by the fire.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but according to some witnesses it was most probably due to an electric short- circuit in one of the houses.(bas)