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)