Four-hour blaze destroy 240 homes

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Susi, 43, was still sound asleep when she was suddenly awoken by her neighbors shouting that her house, located in Kota Bambu Utara subdistrict, West Jakarta, was on fire.

She took few minutes to realize what was happening before she and her husband rushed out, saving all three of their children but leaving their belongings behind to be consumed by the flames.

The fire on Saturday started in Kota Bambu Utara at about 2:30 a.m. and quickly spread to the neighboring subdistrict of Jatipulo. Most residents were sleeping when the fire started.

The blaze caused no fatalities.

While waiting for the fire department to arrive, residents attempted to douse the flames with water from the Sekretaris River, which flows through the area.

Twenty-five fire trucks and support vehicles from both West and Central Jakarta had difficulty in getting to the location in the densely populated slum area, while a strong breeze quickly fanned the blaze. The fire was only extinguished at about 6 a.m.

At least 240 families lost their homes to the fire, which according to the police was caused by a short circuit.

However, residents, who are now sheltering in a number of local schools, say that the fire was ignited by the son of the family whose house went on fire first. They said he was holding a candle before the fire started and had tried to commit suicide twice.

Kota Bambu Utara subdistrict chief Eko Saptono said Kota Bambu Utara and Jatipulo subdistricts, helped by West Jakarta's social affairs agency, would erect tents and public kitchens on Sunday.

"The temporary shelters and public kitchens will be put up at Junior High School No. 130, the closest to the affected neighborhoods," Eko was quoted as saying by Antara on Saturday.

Eko said 512 residents, or a total of 129 families, from his subdistrict had lost their homes. Meanwhile, Jatipulo subdistrict chief Sriatun Kurniati said 120 families from her subdistrict had been affected by the fire.