Fire razes 200 houses

JAKARTA (JP): Three-hundred families lost their homes after fire razed about 200 houses in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, late Saturday. Many of the houses were two stories. No casualties were reported.

Neighborhood chief Baud Soekarno said yesterday the fire in Jati subdistrict started at 7:30 p.m. Firefighters managed to put out the fire at around 2 a.m.

He said an exploding stove caused the fire.

The fire hit two kampongs, Poncol Atas and Poncol Bawah.

Baud said a woman had tried to light the stove on the second floor of her home. It exploded and she threw it out of the second story. The fire spread to other buildings.

Baud said the same stove exploded Friday.

A resident said the woman had run away.

Baud could not yet estimate material losses.

The fire victims took shelter in five large tents, a mosque and a school building.

One of the victims, Mulyono, 37, said most affected residents rented the land for between Rp 75,000 and Rp 100,000 a year. (05)