Five perish in house fire

Five perish in house fire

SURABAYA: Five members of the same family died after their house in Krebangan subdistrict, North Surabaya, was engulfed by flames early on Tuesday.

Local police chief, Adj. Comr. Sugito DS, said Kasmianto, 45, and his wife, Jumining, 35, were found dead in the living room and bathroom. The bodies of three of their five children -- Rifai, 15, Kurnia, 10, and Anisa, 4 -- were found in a bedroom. The two other children, Dwi Wijaya, 20, and Andik, 17, survived the inferno.

"We can't get much information about the fire as the two children are still in shock, but an investigation is underway. We found the door locked and the electricity meter intact, so there is a small possibility that the fire was caused by a short circuit," he said.

Siswo, a neighbor, said a group of neighbors tried in vain to put out the fire. He added that the house was allegedly used to illegally store kerosene, and the two sons were rescued after neighbors pried open a door.--Antara