Fire leaves 30 people homeless

JAKARTA (JP): A fire gutted four houses and left at least 30 people homeless on Jl. Mangga Besar IX in West Jakarta yesterday.

No fatalities were reported and damages were still being estimated.

West Jakarta Fire Department sent 13 fire engines to the blaze which was believed to have started at 7 p.m.

The fire was extinguished one and half hours later.

Evidence collected at the site points to the fire being caused by an electrical short circuit in one of the houses.

Also yesterday fire damaged a house on Jl. Menteng Jelawe, Pasar Manggis, in Setiabudi, South Jakarta.

Six fire engines were sent to put out the fire which started at 9.15 a.m. Firefighters had extinguished the blaze by 9:45 a.m.

No fatalities were reported and an electrical short circuit was believed to have started the fire.

The owner of the house, Nuriah, 43, was woken by her neighbors shouting for help and banging on the door.

The 11 residents left the house quickly.

"I'm shocked. Thank God all my children and relatives were saved," she said.

The damages are being estimated and the Setiabudi Police Precinct in South Jakarta is in charge of the investigation. (edt/emf)