Fire guts laundry building

JAKARTA (JP): A building owned by Laundrette on Jl. Hasyim Ashari, West Jakarta, was gutted by fire yesterday.

No fatalities were reported, but all machinery and clothes in the building were destroyed in the fire, which started at 6:15 p.m., said head of the Central Jakarta fire department, Fredy Alling.

"Eleven fire engines were deployed from both the West and Central Jakarta fire departments to the fire site and managed to completely extinguish the fire by 7:20 p.m.," he said. No estimation of material losses was available yet.

He said it had been rather easy to put out the fire as the fire engines could get water from two nearby rivers -- Krukut and Ciliwung rivers.

An officer from the Gambir Police subprecinct, who asked not to be named, said it was believed the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit in a drier.

Efendi of the West Jakarta Fire Department said the fire also destroyed the roofs of two nearby buildings, including a three- story Yamaha motorcycle showroom.

"Nineteen motorcycles were saved from the building," he said. (ind/hhr)