'Peci' factory destroyed by fire

JAKARTA (JP): A fire gutted a Tanah Abang home industry that produces peci (national cap) in Central Jakarta on Thursday morning.

No fatalities were reported, but the fire, that occurred at 7 a.m., also burnt a Mercedes-Benz sedan and two motorcycles belonging to Makmun Sahabudi, the owner of the two-story house on Jl. Kampung Bali.

Hundreds of local residents rushed to the scene to help extinguish the fire and to stop it from spreading to neighboring houses.

Firefighters then arrived in 10 fire engines.

The fire was reportedly difficult to put out due to the large amount of textile materials and carpets in the building.

With the help of residents and the rain, firefighters took two hours to extinguish the blaze.

Makmun speculated that the fire, that he said caused his business hundreds of millions of rupiah in losses, was started by a short circuit.

"I first saw the fire in the dining room," he told reporters at the site.

Makmun said that he was alone with his wife at the house when the fire started.

The other family members were on vacation in Bali, he added. (jun)