Fires leave thousands of people homeless

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of the city's poor were left homeless as separate fires devastated in the slum areas of Jl. Lodan Raya in Ancol, North Jakarta, and the Kayu Mas Raya area of Pulogadung, East Jakarta, on Tuesday.

No fatalities were reported in the fires, which took place in the early hours of the morning.

Thousands had to abandon their homes at 2 a.m. in Bandan village, Ancol Barat, as a fire, which reportedly started when a gas stove exploded in a hut in neighborhood unit 005, spread rapidly to houses in the neighboring community unit 02 in Ancol, Pademangan.

"The fire caught hold quickly as the wind was so strong. People were screaming because their homes were being blown away by the wind and the fire.

"Our community chief contacted the North Jakarta Fire Department so many fire engines came, but still, our houses were burned down," Sumadji of neighborhood unit 002, who is father of four children, distraughtly told reporters on Tuesday.

Over 500 houses in 10 out of the 13 neighborhood units located in community unit 02 were burned to the ground by the fire, which was only extinguished after three hours.

Like Sumadji, thousands of men, women and children were seen huddling together in makeshift tents in and around the Tanah Merah field, in the Al Muka Rumah mosque and under the Ancol toll-bridge. At least 28 fire engines from fire departments across the capital were deployed to the area to extinguish the blaze.

Jumi, a resident of neighborhood unit 004, said on Tuesday that she slept through most of the incident.

"Fires break out in this area frequently. This is the fourth or fifth time as far as I remember. I was sleeping. When I heard the noise, I didn't care and just went on sleeping. When I got up, I saw all my neighbors crying. My house, most of it, is now gone," Jumi said.

Pademangan Police chief Adj. Comr. Hendro Pandowo told reporters that the police were investigating the possibility of arson.

"We are checking out all possibilities, including arson," Hendro told reporters, while North Jakarta Mayor Soebagio said that his office would donate Rp 10 million (US$884) for the victims.

The second fire incident of the day occurred in community unit 10, Kayu Manis Raya, Pulogadung, where over 100 houses in two neighborhood units were burned to the ground, leaving over 1,200 people homeless.

Officials in the area claimed that it was the third fire in Kayu Manis within a space of only two weeks.

Earlier, over 400 houses in Pulo Nangka were destroyed by a fire on June 23 this year, leaving over 1,000 people homeless. A day later, another fire razed dozens of slum in the Rawamangun area of East Jakarta.

East Jakarta Police are still investigating these fires.

Separately, a fire destroyed a furniture store on Jl. Pinangsia III in West Jakarta, and was reportedly caused by a short circuit. Most of the furniture was destroyed along with the store. (ylt)