Fire leaves 900 people homeless

Fire leaves 900 people homeless

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: Fire gutted some 48 old wooden
houses near the South Sumatra capital of Palembang, leaving about
900 people homeless.

No casualties were reported in the blaze that started about
11:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Kampong Ilir area, about four
kilometers from Palembang.

The fire started after a stove exploded in the house of local
resident Abdul Kohar, producing an uncontrollable blaze that
quickly spread to neighboring wooden houses in the densely-
populated area.

The fire was extinguished by Palembang's fire fighting
personnel after 3.5 hours.

Kampong Ilir is known as for its old traditional wooden
houses. --JP