Fire guts banks, shops in Ngabang

Fire guts banks, shops in Ngabang

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: Fire destroyed two banks and 51
shops Wednesday in Ngabang, 175 kilometers east of here, reports
said yesterday.

No casualties from the afternoon fire have yet been reported.
Police said little property had been saved.

"It took fire fighters six hours to extinguish the fire
because they lacked equipment," West Kalimantan police spokesman
Capt. Suhadi SW was quoted by Antara as saying.

The fire fighters had to drive 100 kilometers from Sanggau to
Ngabang.

Ngabang is a transit town for people traveling between West
Kalimantan regencies and between the province and neighboring
Malaysia.

Two state bank branches, Bank Kalbar and Bank Rakyat
Indonesia, were destroyed.

The authorities were investigating the cause of the fire and
estimating material losses, Suhadi said. (pan)