Fire hits slum area

JAKARTA (JP): Fire destroyed 72 houses and 11 kiosks in a slum area of Kelapa Gading Barat, North Jakarta, yesterday, firefighters and residents said.

A short circuit in a vacant house was strongly suspected as the cause of the fire on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan.

A resident, Soman, said he saw sparks on the roof of his neighbor' house, which rapidly developed into a blaze and spread to adjacent buildings.

Neighborhood chief Edi put the material damages at 72 houses and 11 kiosks. North and West Jakarta fire departments extinguished the fire.

"Heaps of wood in some houses helped fuel the fire," he said.

The incident triggered a traffic gridlock in the area, leading the police to divert traffic to alternative routes, Antara reported. (pan)