Fire razes 200 homes in Karet Tengsin

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Thousands of people lost their homes after a fire destroyed more than 200 homes behind the Karet Tengsin low-cost apartments in Central Jakarta on Monday.

No casualties or injuries were reported in the blaze, which affected at least four neighborhood units in the area.

Those left homeless are now 'sheltering' around the apartment building, some in tents, most without.

The fire started at 10:30 a.m. and spread quickly through the wooden homes in the densely populated area. Strong winds helped fan the flames.

Firefighters from four fire engines prevented the fire from reaching the Karet Tengsin apartment building. The fire was totally extinguished by noon.

The fire brigade had easy access to water as the site was located near the Kali Krukut River.

Police and members of the fire brigade have yet to determine the cause of the fire.

However, locals said the fire started from a short-circuit in an electronics workshop.

Suyamtini, one of the victims, tearfully said she had lost all of her belongings.

"I was out finding medicine for my sick daughter when the fire razed my home. Nothing's left, only the clothes we were wearing," the mother of three children told The Jakarta Post.

"My husband was also working, renting his ojek (motorcycle taxi), when the fire broke out. That's why we could not rescue any of our belongings."

What upset her most was that she had lost important documents, including a receipt for a Rp 8 million (US$941) down payment for a low-cost apartment.

"All documents of the transaction were destroyed by the fire. I'm afraid I cannot own the apartment since I no longer have the documents. I wonder if I can obtain copies?"

Suyamtini, who has been living in the area for 22 years, said Monday's fire was the second to have razed her home. The first time was in 1992.

Another resident, Sukarmin, said he had lost money he had planned to use to pay for the rent of his son's home in Bintaro, Tangerang.

"I'm very unlucky. I was going to pay the rent yesterday, but I could not meet the landlord so I brought it back home and kept it. And, today, the fire left me broke," said the carpenter who works at a workshop in Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta. He had been saving the money for several months.

Late last month, a large fire destroyed 275 houses in nearby Karet Tengsin, leaving 1,318 people homeless.

Karet Tengsin is one of 53 fire-prone subdistricts in Jakarta, which has a total of 267 subdistricts.