Fire razes houses and a truck

JAKARTA (JP): Fire gutted two houses and a truckload of methanol Monday night causing financial losses estimated at more than Rp 10 million (US$62,800), but nobody was injured.

Fire destroyed J.M. Siahaan's house on Jl. Cawang II/19, Makasar, East Jakarta. The fire, caused by a short circuit at 7:20 p.m., was extinguished by six fire engines.

No casualties were reported and financial losses have yet to be calculated.

A house owned by Minarbati on Jl. Mawar IV/14, Karang Indah, Ciledug, Tangerang, was razed by fire at 9:30 p.m. Monday. The cause of fire is still under police investigation.

A double-tanker carrying 12,000 liters of methanol owned by PT Indoship Nusa Cemerlang burst into flames after the rear axle broke in two, causing sparks to ignite the liquid fuel, according to the driver's assistant, Winarno.

The incident, on the Cikampek toll road near the Halim Perdanakusuma military airbase, East Jakarta, only lasted ten minutes until three fire engines rushed to the scene.

No one was hurt, but sources at the East Jakarta fire control said financial loss of the burnt tanker was estimated at over Rp 10 million. (04)