One dies in Jelambar fire

JAKARTA: Dozens of houses on Jl. Setia Jaya I in Jelambar, Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta, burned down in a fire early morning on Friday.

One of the residents, Yadi, allegedly died of electrocution during the fire.

The fire broke out at about 3:30 a.m. and was extinguished over two hours later by seven fire trucks and volunteer helpers.

Most residents have taken refuge in makeshift shelters on the Jelambar riverbank while others are staying in nearby mosques.

In January, about 300 houses in the densely-populated Jelambar area also burned down.

In a similar incident last Tuesday, a 72-year-old woman was killed in a fire that razed 139 houses on Jl. Muara Bahari in Sunter Agung, North Jakarta. Eyewitnesses said the blind and paralyzed woman, Suji, was trapped inside her house. -- JP