Fire guts oldest hotel in Padang

PADANG, North Sumatra: A fire gutted the oldest hotel in the provincial capital of Padang on Saturday night, destroying at least 80 of its rooms along with seven shophouses.

No casualties or injuries were reported as guests had been evacuated before the fire spread to the Machudum's Hotel located on Jl. Haligoo, about 100 meters from Padang City Hall.

The fire started at about 9:50 p.m. and was extinguished around five hours later after nine fire trucks were mobilized by the municipal administration and state-owned cement firm PT Semen Padang to the scene.

While there were no casualties, observers said the fire was the worst this year in Padang city.

The fire threatened to spread to other parts of the central city and shopowners along Jl. Haligoo and neighboring Jl. Bundo Kanduang scrambled to remove their goods.

Padang Police chief Sr. Comr. Mustafa Hari Kuncoro said a short circuit could have caused the fire that started on the third floor of the hotel, which was mostly made of wood. --JP