Luxury mall turned into ash

PEKALONGAN, Central Java: Police are investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed a Rp 3 billion (US$1.4 million) three- story shopping mall on Tuesday.

Chief of the Pekalongan police precinct, Lt. Col. Dhama Sofyan said the preliminary findings suggest that the fire was sparked by an electrical short circuit.

The conflagration has thrown 380 people out of a job from the Sri Ratu shopping mall.

The mall's store manager, Widiyanto, told Antara that the company management would discuss the fate of the employees with local manpower officials.(pan)