Hundreds mourn fireman's tragic death

Hundreds mourn fireman's tragic death

JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of firemen, family and friends wept for
Danu Sisworo, the fireman killed Friday in the Harco Mangga Dua
fire, at his funeral Saturday at the Karet cemetery, Central
Jakarta.

The ground at the cemetery was wet and slippery after Friday's
downpours, making it difficult for mourners and coffin bearers to
avoid getting their feet wet.

Governor Surjadi Soedirja, the Central Jakarta Mayoralty and
the City Fire Brigade sent wreaths of flowers which were carried
by the mourners.

A procession of two buses, dozens of cars and motorcycles
which was led by five fire engines attracted great attention as
it traveled from Danu's house on Jl. Zaenul Arifin, Ketapang,
Central Jakarta, to the cemetery at 10:00 a.m.

Two hours before the procession began, Governor Surjadi's wife
Sri Soenarsih, Deputy Governor for Administrative Affairs Idroes
and Central Jakarta Major Abdul Kahfi visited Danu's house to pay
their last respects.

Soenarsih, Idroes and Kahfi expressed condolences to Danu's
wife, Sulariah, and gave her some money.

Sulariah, who was suffering low blood pressure, did not attend
the funeral.

On Friday morning, before the fire broke out, Danu accompanied
his wife to a hospital for a checkup.

"He got a call and left to join his friends to go to the fire.
That was the last time I saw him," Sulariah said.

Danu was trapped in the fire which gutted the eastern part of
the electronics shopping center. He died of suffocation.

At least 150 shops and offices in the third and fourth floors
of the four-story building were destroyed in the fire.

City Fire Brigade Chief Suharso, who led the funeral
procession, expressed his deepest condolences in his address.

"Danu Sisworo was one of the best officers that we have ever
had. We really miss him," Suharso said.

Danu's eldest son, Wahyu Hadi, told reporters after the
funeral that: "My father is the best father in the world. He paid
great attention to us."

Suharso said after the funeral that his office and other
agencies were investigating the cause of the blaze.

On whether he would sue the building's owner for negligence,
Suharso said it would be presumptuous to decide that Danu's death
was caused by the owner's negligence.

But, he said, his office was wondering why the emergency exits
had been locked during the fire. (jun)