Fire rages in densely populated area, 86 families left homeless
Fire rages in densely populated area, 86 families left homeless
JAKARTA (JP): Fire gutted dozens of houses at a densely
populated area in Bukit Duri subdistrict, South Jakarta, on
Saturday afternoon, leaving some 86 families homeless.
No fatalities were reported in the incident.
A resident said the fire began at 2 p.m. on the hot and dry
afternoon.
"The fire apparently originated from the house belonging to a
local resident named Amril," Rahman, head of the neighborhood,
told reporters at the scene of the fire.
The fire spread fast and gutted nearby houses.
"All of the burned houses were located in Community Unit 12
(RW 12) at RT. 9, RT. 10 and RT. 12," head of the Bukit Duri
subdistrict Chalid Mawardi said.
The Al-Choiriyah Mosque located at RT. 9, however, was not
affected by the fire.
Residents cooperated in extinguishing the fire by using pails
to fetch water from the nearby Ciliwung river.
About 13 fire engines from the city fire department, which
arrived at the scene an hour later, helped put out the fire.
However, their efforts were impeded by the inaccessibility to
the area. The fire was eventually extinguished at 4 p.m.
Temporary shelter
The residents whose houses were affected by the fire managed
to salvage their valuables and entrusted them to their relatives
and neighbors.
"With the help of my children and husband, I brought my
belongings here," said Ade, 31, who is keeping her valuables,
including clothes, a television set and a washing machine in her
neighbor's house, which is some 200 meters away from the site of
the incident. Ade's house was one of the properties burned in the
fire.
Another victim, Mrs. Maryam, 37, was not as lucky as Ade.
"All my valuables have been destroyed by the fire except the
clothes that I am wearing now," she told The Jakarta Post with
her eyes glistening with tears.
"Even, my child's elementary school diploma and her savings
book showing some Rp 200,000 (US$21) could not be salvaged," she
said.
"I will temporarily take shelter at the house of my father-in-
law who lives in this area."
Chalid said some of the fire victims will be temporarily be
sheltered at a house belonging to the head of the RT. 9, Dadat.
"While people who have relatives here could stay with them,"
he said.
The police have yet to ascertain the cause of the fire.
"We are still questioning Amril. We suspect the fire
originated from a stove in the house," chief of the Tebet Police
subprecinct Asst. Supt. Asli Manao told reporters.
"There were no fatalities but some people suffered minor
injuries as they rushed to salvage their belongings," Asli said.
Last September, a fire which razed a residential area in Utan
Panjang in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, destroyed 14 houses.
In October, fire gutted the third floor of the Development
Finance Comptroller's (BPKP) office on the busy Jl. Hayam Wuruk
in Central Jakarta.
Some documents related to the alleged "mishandling" of the
multibillion dollar emergency support from Bank Indonesia
(central bank) have been destroyed in the fire. (asa/04)