Fire destroys thirty buses of city-owned PPD

JAKARTA (JP): Thirty city-owned PPD city buses parked at the firm's repair and service center in Norogong, Bekasi, north of here, went up in flames on Thursday afternoon.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. A. Latief Rabar told reporters here yesterday the fire is believed to have started from a cigarette butt discarded in the bushes behind the PPD repair workshop by a passerby.

"The blaze has nothing to do with the recent strikes of the minibus drivers," Latief said.

There were no fatalities reported.

Darius Jana, PPD director for operational affairs, said that the fire has not affected the firm's daily operations.

Darius said the vehicles destroyed by the fire Thursday were mostly old buses no longer in operation.

Neither PPD's spokesman or other directors were available for comment about the blaze yesterday. (bsr)