Sawah Besar fire leaves 600 families homeless

Sawah Besar fire leaves 600 families homeless

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

At least 600 families were left homeless when fire razed their
homes in a slum area in Karang Anyar subdistrict, Sawah Besar,
Central Jakarta, on Sunday at around 9:30 a.m.

A total of 26 fire trucks were deployed, but firefighters only
managed to extinguish the blaze shortly after 3 p.m.

Jakarta Fire Department spokesman Tubagus Suryatna said the
fire brigade could not draw water from the nearest river as it
had dried up.

But, locals had a different story. "Most of the homes were
gutted as the firemen worked really slowly," said Community Unit
(RW) 2 deputy head Junaedi, adding that one fire truck had been
attacked by angry locals as a result.

He said the fire was believed to have been caused by an
exploding kerosene stove in a food stall.

Antara said that no fatalities had been reported, while
financial losses were still being estimated. However, SCTV
television reported that a resident had died in the fire, but did
not give the victim's name.

This was the third major inferno this month following a fire
in Kebon Melati, Central Jakarta, on July 14 when 1,000 families
lost their homes, and another in Pancoran, South Jakarta, where
fire destroyed around 20 houses on July 22.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Karang Anyer fire victims were
sheltering in makeshift tents along Jl. Sawah Besar and a nearby
mosque. The Jakarta Social Affairs Agency and the Indonesian Red
Cross have started distributing aid to them.

"I lost my house. My younger brother and my parents lost their
homes too," said Dayat, a fire victim.

Karang Anyar subdistrict chief Fauzi said his officials
planned to open posts where members of the public could donate
aid. "We will also open a soup kitchen in an abandoned warehouse
to provide meals for the fire victims."

The victims were also in dire need of medicines and school
requisites for the children.

This was the first major fire in Karang Anyar since 1987.