Four killed in Bandung fire

JAKARTA (JP): Four people were burned to death in a fire that razed their house in Darwati subdistrict, Bandung, early yesterday, Antara reported.

Neighbors found the charred bodies of Sulaeman, 24, and his two brothers, Wahyu, 22, and Rudi, 19, embracing each other. It took the neighbors an hour to put out the fire.

They also discovered house-owner Narmah with critical burn injuries. She was rushed to Al-Islam Hospital, but the 75-year- old woman died a few hours later after receiving medical treatment.

A witness, Ade Rohandi, said he saw the fire begin and engulf Narmah's house at about 1:30 a.m. The fire, thought to have originated from a kerosene lamp in Narmah's house, spread quickly to three nearby houses.

"They (Narmah and the three men) were asleep when the fire demolished their house," said Ade, whose house was also ruined in the fire.

Narmah was not related to the three brothers, and Ade said he did not know why they shared the same woven bamboo house.

Narmah was buried later yesterday, while the bodies of the three men were still at the hospital's morgue.

East Bandung Police Chief Lt. Col. Berry Heriawan said police were investigating the case. He said police did not find any criminal motive behind the fire.

"We're still waiting for a post-mortem report on the remaining three bodies," Berry said. (amd)