Paralyzed grandmother killed in house fire

Paralyzed grandmother killed in house fire

JAKARTA (JP): An elderly woman suffering from paralysis was
burned to death on Thursday when a stove in her residence
exploded and scorched the house to the ground in the Kramat Pulo
area of Kramat, Senen district, Central Jakarta.

Morgue attendant Rachman at the Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital (RSCM) identified the victim as Siti binti Rachwat, 65,
who lived with her son, Toto, 35, and her grandson, Djamil, who
was in his late 20s.

The fire spread to at least 20 other houses in the
neighborhood, but Siti was reportedly the only fatality, officers
with the Central Jakarta fire department said on Thursday.

Toto, a food vendor, was frying bread when suddenly the stove
exploded, according to the neighbors.

"Siti's grandson, Djamil, told us that Toto had tried to help
the old lady, but his foot had got caught in something, and he
fell and fainted. Residents were only able to rescue Toto and
Djamil from the blaze ... Siti was stuck in a room in the house,"
a neighbor of Toto told reporters at the scene.

The fire began at 1:30 a.m. and it took 20 fire engines from
the Central Jakarta fire department to extinguish it at about 4
a.m.

This is the second fatal fire in the capital to have occurred
during April.

Earlier, a woman lost her husband and two children to a fire
which engulfed their house in the Gading Serpong housing complex
in Curug, Tangerang, on the morning of April 7.

The police identified the fatalities that time as Anton, 40,
and his two children, Perno, 4, and Martiani, 9.

The fire allegedly started at 1 a.m. due to a short circuit
while the family was fast asleep, police said. (ylt)