Fire guts oldest hotel in Padang

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