G. Sahari fire destroys 15 houses

JAKARTA: As many as 15 homes at Jl. Gunung Sahari VIII, Central Jakarta, were destroyed by fire on Sunday morning, leaving dozens of people homeless.

There was no reports of casualties in the blaze which, according to nearby residents, was caused by a short circuit in the house of Ismail, located at the community unit 3.

Sunaryo Wiryo, the head of Central Jakarta Fire Department unit B, said that it sent 15 firefighter units who extinguished the fire at 1.30 p.m., about two and a half hours after it was reported.

"Our office along with the Kemayoran district police are still investigating the cause of fire, although residents said that it was caused by a short circuit," he told The Jakarta Post.

Djunaedi, head of the community unit, said that they were establishing a public kitchen to assist the victims. --JP