Fire razes slum area

PALANGKARAYA, Central Kalimantan: Fire razed the Bengkel slum here on Wednesday afternoon, leaving thousands of families homeless.

As of 7.30 p.m., the fire remained unabated due to the difficulty faced by fire engines accessing the packed neighborhood, Antara reported.

Residents, many loaded down with possessions, were injured as they scrambled through small alleys to reach Jl. Murjani, the area's main road.

Mothers were seen looking for their children, many of whom had been missing since the fire started on 3 p.m.

Witnesses said the fire started at a resident's food stall, and quickly spread to other houses in the area located near Palangka Raya Market. (09)