Major fire ravages Police HQ

Major fire ravages Police HQ

JAKARTA (JP): A major fire ravaged the main building of the National Police Headquarters on Jl. Trunojoyo, South Jakarta, yesterday evening, destroying the offices of the chief and many generals, and taking many important documents with it.

The blaze started with a small explosion at 4:30 p.m. in a room at the top floor of the three-story building, eyewitnesses told The Jakarta Post.

The fire quickly spread to the other rooms at the top and second floor of the old building. Some of the rooms had wooden walls. Several rooms on the first floor and a guard tower were damaged by the fire. Losses have yet to be estimated.

It is not known whether the computer facilities prepared for the upcoming 1997 general election were also burned down.

It took around three hours for 100 fire fighters with 20 fire engines to put out the fierce fire in the rain.

"Our main problem was the scarcity of water and the traffic congestion," said chief of the Jakarta Fire Brigade, Suharso. The number of hydrants in the area provided inadequate water for the fire brigades, he said.

A number of generals, including City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo, were spotted at the scene.

National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro was on an official trip in Lembang, West Java.

Forensic scientists have started their investigation as the fire died down.

It remains unclear whether sabotage was to blame for the fire. (bsr/29)