Fireman killed in Harco to be promoted: Idroes

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Idroes said the municipality would promote posthumously Danu Sisworo, a fireman who died in the Harco Mangga Dua fire last Friday.

"We're going to give his family his pension and other rights, and promote him because he died on duty," Idroes said yesterday.

He said Korpri, the Civil Servants Corps, would also assist the deceased's family.

"We will look after his family's welfare," Idroes promised.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja offered his condolences to Danu's wife, Sulariah D.S., on Sunday evening, he said.

Danu Sisworo suffocated to death Friday as he was trapped for hours on the fourth floor of the blazing Harco building.

Danu's colleagues could not rescue him because the fire engine's moving ladder was not long enough.

Firefighters and City Fire Chief Suharso want to know why the emergency exit of the fourth floor was locked and the emergency lights did not work.

The 45-year-old firefighter had four children. He and his family lived in a 24-square-meter two-story house in the Central Jakarta Fire Brigade housing complex on Jl. Zainul Arifin, Ketapang.

Johny Pangaribuan, who heads the department's public participation subdivision, confirmed the late fireman's promotion.

Regulations for the city-owned house where Danu's family lived state that retired officers, and their families, must quit the houses a year after their term of office ends.

"But, this is a different case, and we will consider it as such," Johny said.

Earlier Danu's wife had said she hoped her family could stay in their house in the fire department's complex until their youngest child, now in junior high, completed senior high school.

Firemen who were at the fire had said the fire engine with a ladder came too late. But Johny said it was sent out only after reports said the fire was spreading to higher floors. The city's fire department has eight engines with ladders.

At least 150 shops and offices on the third and fourth floors of the four-story building were destroyed in the fire.

Idroes admitted that the city could not afford more fire engines with moving ladders.

"These engines are very expensive, one costs between Rp 2 billion (US$871,459) and Rp 3 billion," he said.

He said the city was planning to bring together business people and high rise building owners, to urge them to improve fire safety facilities. Officials frequently complained of company managements and building owners neglecting fire safety.

Danu, who served the fire brigade for 26 years, was buried at Karet cemetery, Central Jakarta on Sunday. (ste)