Fire leaves 250 homeless

JAKARTA (JP): A fire razed approximately 50 houses in Tambora, West Jakarta, Friday morning, leaving some 250 people homeless. No deaths were reported.

Two other fires also occurred over the weekend, but no casualties were reported in either. Antara reported a row of shop/houses were gutted Saturday on Jl. Pluit Putri, North Jakarta.

A shop/house also burned yesterday in Tangerang, West Java.

The fire in the Pekojan subdistrict of Tambora is believed to have been started by a short circuit. It has caused an estimated Rp 600 million (US$251,889) in losses, the district head, Tri Gambiraya, said.

Fire victims took refuge in a mosque and other places of worship as well as in school buildings. An emergency kitchen was set up in a warehouse owned by one of the residents.

A witness said the fire began in one of the houses at 3:30 a.m. (02)