Kitchen bus for fire victims

JAKARTA (JP): A new kitchen-equipped bus launched by the Central Jakarta Fire Department has helped residents whose houses have been gutted in a series of fires throughout the city.

The Mercedes-Benz bus operated for the first time in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta, when a fire gutted 217 houses on July 1.

The bus, which was purchased by the City Administration in February last year, has helped firefighters prepare food for fire victims.

Central Jakarta Fire Department Chief Freddy Aling said that besides giving meals to fire victims, the bus, which cost Rp 300 million (US$125,000), also prepares food for firefighters whenever a fire lasts a long time.

"Firefighters need logistic support prepared in the bus to enable them to work more effectively," Freddy said.

He said in the Tanah Tinggi fire, which started at about 6:30 p.m., the firefighters worked until the early morning hours, even though they extinguished the fire at 10:30 p.m.

Out of 27 fire engines deployed at the fire site, some stayed longer to prevent the fire from reigniting, he said.

The kitchen bus arrived at the fire scene at about 4:30 a.m. from Central Jakarta Fire Department headquarters on Jl. Zainul Arifin.

Eight bus crew members immediately started preparing food supplied by the City Social Services Office and the Indonesian Red Cross, which also set up a communal kitchen for fire victims at the time.

Freddy said 50 kilograms of rice can be cooked on the bus in about 50 minutes.

There is also a pot which can boil 200 eggs simultaneously. Three 50-kilogram gas cylinders are on the bus as well.

The bus is also equipped with a water pump and a 1000-liter water tank to supply water for cooking needs.

Two 80-liter water dispensers are also on the diesel-fueled bus.

Three small refrigerators on the left side of the bus are used to keep food and vegetables fresh.

Kitchen equipment runs on electricity supplied by a 10 KVA- portable generator. (jun)