Fire hits Banjarmasin

BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Fire ravaged Tuesday a veteran complex forcing 260 families from their homes. No fatalities were reported.

Antara reported that police were investigating the cause of the fire, which is said to have been the biggest in 15 years.

The fire, which devastated three neighborhood communities in the complex located on Jl. Achmad Yani, nearly gutted Ulin Banjarmasin Public Hospital.

"Two mosques were also destroyed by the fire," a resident said.

The fire department said the roads were too small for fire engines to reach the fire site, and water was difficult to access.

Police speculated that the fire inflicted Rp 1 billion in damage.

Meanwhile in Batam, fire destroyed 70 shanties in the subdistrict of Lubuk Baja Barat Monday night, leaving 300 people homeless.

Eyewitnesses said that the fire spread through the shanties very rapidly. "In less than an hour the fire razed all the shanties, which were made up of combustible material," the witness said.

"Most of the residents failed to save their belongings, such as TV sets, refrigerators and motorcycles," said Sagi Harto, chief of the local fire department.

The residents assumed that the fire originated from a vacant house. (sur)