Fire kills two men, friends suspect arson

Fire kills two men, friends suspect arson

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Two male bodies have been found in a bed in a rented house that
burnt down early on Thursday.

The victims are believed to be Ade Casmita and his close
friend Mohamad Nurdin, who worked in the storeroom of textile
factory PT Busana Perkasa Garmen on Jl. Raya Kedunghalang, Bogor.

The house in Kampung Tanahsewa, Ciparigi subdistrict, North
Bogor, was rented by Ade, who converted part of the small house
into a hairdressing salon.

A neighbor, Mrs. Yudhi, said that the residents became aware
of the fire at about 5:15 a.m.

The blaze, which was believed to have been caused by an
exploding stove, spread quickly to an adjacent food stall, which
had been vacant for some time.

A number of security guards from the PT Winner textile
factory, which is located just across from Ade's house, broke
windows in the house in an effort to save the occupants.

"But there was no sign of anyone in the house, so we thought
that Ade was staying over with a friend ... He often did that as
he was still a bachelor. But after the firemen put out the fire,
they and the police found Ade and his friend in bed," Mrs. Yudhi
said.

Meanwhile, Nurdin's coworker, Anita, said that Nurdin had
recently revealed he had received a death threat.

She said that Nurdin had received three text messages sent by
Anang Ranger, a member of the police's paramilitary Mobile
Brigade, who was currently posted to Maluku.

"The SMS read, 'I'll kill you when I get home.' Anang said he
would be home next Tuesday. Nurdin became depressed and unwell
while staying at Ade's house," Anita said.

Another friend of Nurdin, Boim, said that Anang's younger
brother was also a friend of Nurdin's.

Apparently, the alleged death threats were connected with the
fact that Anang had once rented a house in Kembang alley in
Kedunghalang subdistrict, which was later occupied by his brother
after Anang was sent to Maluku.

"His brother often asked me, Ade and Nurdin to come over,
sometimes we brought our girlfriends. The householder didn't like
it and threw us all out. When Anang's wife came home, she found
out that they had lost the house because of us.

"I believe that it was not an exploding stove that caused the
fire. Someone must have set it," Boim said.

North Bogor Police are currently investigating the blaze and
have started to question witnesses.