Fire losses cost billions

BALIKPAPAN, East Kalimantan: A government official said on Sunday that a devastating fire at a Balikpapan school for disabled students had caused losses of billions of rupiah.

The fire burned buildings, books, documents and teaching materials, including a Braille printing machine, said local education office head Hernawati.

Saturday's fire razed the school, but no fatalities were reported in the incident. The school is located just 200 meters from Sepinggan Airport, Balikpapan.

The school is the only elementary school for the disabled in Balikpapan, and was built in 1983. More than 1,500 disabled children have passed through its doors and more than 800 students have graduated. The school's student body comprises children of various disabilities, such as blindness, muteness, mental disabilities and paralysis.

The school has 119 students for this academic year. -- JP