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)