Mon, 27 Aug 2001

Fires breaks out in two places

JAKARTA (JP): Fires broke out separately in parts of East Jakarta and West Jakarta on Sunday, but no casualties were recorded, reports said.

A mob reportedly set fire to several huts located on an open plot in Pulo Gebang subdistrict in Cakung, East Jakarta, at around 11:40 a.m., an officer of the East Jakarta Fire Department, Subariyanto, was quoted by Antara as saying.

"The incident happened around 11:40 a.m., but we managed to put the fire out later at around 12:20 p.m.," the officer said, adding that four fire engines were employed to fight the blaze.

The fire was being investigated by local fire officers.

Fire also gutted Candra Naya school on Jl. Jembatan Besi in West Jakarta on Sunday afternoon.

The fire also razed dozens of houses in the vicinity, leaving hundreds of people homeless. The fire, which started around 12 p.m., was reportedly caused by a short-circuit.

Fire crews and locals strived to extinguish the fire, which was eventually extinguished at around 2:30 p.m.