Fire leaves 145 homeless

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Fire destroyed 25 houses on Jl. Antasari early yesterday, leaving 145 people homeless and injuring at least one person.

Chief of the local fire control agency Sunardi said the fire, which broke out at about 4.30 a.m., took two hours to put out because the four fire trucks had trouble reaching the area.

Most of the houses were made of wood and the fire started at a time when most people were still fast asleep. The fire brigades could not put it out any faster, he said.

"Fire engines could not reach the blaze because panicky occupants tried to save their belongings by putting them out in the middle of the access roads," Antara quoted him as saying.

An employee of the state-owned electricity company, PLN, was injured trying to cut off power to the area. The fire was the fifth in the town this month. (pan)