Fires engulf restaurant, house

JAKARTA (JP): Two fires broke out in different places on early Tuesday, engulfing a sea food restaurant in South Jakarta and a house in Tangerang, but no fatalities were reported.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said the restaurant on Jl. Buncit Raya was empty when the fire gutted its kitchen and destroyed the ceiling.

The owner of the restaurant, Fajar Irianto, said the fire was first spotted by nearby residents at about 3:30 a.m.

Five fire engines took over an hour to extinguish the fire.

In Tangerang, the fire was first noticed at 4:30 a.m. by Jubaidah, a housemaid working for Syamsul Bahri, owner of the fire-damaged house at the Bugel Indah housing complex.

"A gas stove caused the fire," Jubaidah said.

Less than half an hour later, local fire fighters managed to douse the fire which damaged the kitchen and part of the second floor.

Material losses at the Pondok Ikan Patin restaurant had not been estimated, but losses for the Tangerang house were estimated at 150 million. (emf)