Jakarta's houses are deathtraps: Fireman
Jakarta's houses are deathtraps: Fireman
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following three fatal fires in the last two months, claiming a
total of 14 occupants' lives, Jakarta Fire Department chief
Johnny Pangaribuan warned citizens that most houses in the city
were deathtraps, as many failed to meet the fire safety
regulations set by the city.
"Many house owners fail to abide by the city regulation No.
3/1992 on fire prevention," he said.
The regulation stipulates that all buildings, including
houses, must have emergency exits. It also stipulates that doors
nominated as emergency exits must open outward, so panicked
residents can easily escape by pushing them.
Exits must be made of fireproof material. At all times
occupants should ensure that exits are not obstructed.
"They (the exits) are not allowed to be used for purposes
other than as an emergency exits," the regulation says.
There are around 700 fires in the city every year. Dense
residential areas are the most vulnerable to fire, as fire trucks
have no access to such sites due to narrow alleys.
"Short circuits and exploding fuel stoves are the most
frequent causes of fire in residential areas," Johnny said.
He also called on house owners to provide portable fire
extinguishers.
The fire early last Friday at the Bumi Harapan Permai housing
complex in Kramatjati, East Jakarta, killed Darmawan Supratisto,
his wife, two children and two housemaids.
As the windows of the house had iron security bars over them,
the occupants were trapped inside.
Most Jakartans have iron bars on their windows to deter
burglars.
Rudy, 32, an employee with a printing workshop on Jl. Otista
Raya, East Jakarta, said that his house shares walls with his
neighbors on the right and left sides. The windows are also
fitted with iron bars.
"If there's a fire at my house, we'll be surely be trapped.
Moreover, we don't have a portable fire extinguisher," said the
father of two.
The fire department had warned that more fires would occur in
the city this year. Up until the end of June 2003, a total of 566
fires had already broken out, compared to a total of 837 fires
for 2002.
The latest data shows that for a city of 65,000 hectares --
with 53 of 267 subdistricts particularly prone to fire -- Jakarta
only has 900 fire hydrants, far from the ideal of 20,000.
Johnny also warned that most fatalities were innocent
children.
Two children were killed in a fire at the Attorney General's
Office housing complex in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta last month.
A toddler miraculously survived the inferno.
In Depok, two children and their mother were killed on Nov.
17, when their house was gutted by fire.
Tips to ensure your home is safe from fire
1. Do not plug too many electrical appliances into a single
socket.
2. Do not leave electrical appliances that are switched on
unattended, such as irons and hair dryers. Also, do not leave
stoves lit or candles burning.
3. Install an automatic short circuit breaker.
4. Do not throw lit cigarettes into garbage cans filled with
papers or other inflammable objects.
5. Keep inflammable objects, chemicals and matches out of
children's reach.
6. Install a fire extinguisher at home or "traditional" fire
extinguishers like buckets, sand and a ladder in places that can
easily be reached.
7. If you live on the fourth floor of a building or higher,
ensure you have a fire alarm fitted. There should be at least one
hydrant for buildings on a plot of more than 1,000-square-meter.
8. Install at least one hydrant or water reservoir in your
neighborhood unit.
9. Ensure that fire engines can easily reach your home in the
event of a fire.
From various sources