Second fire at Mulia Senayan Hotel

JAKARTA (JP): A fire broke out yesterday on the fifth floor of the Mulia Senayan Hotel, which is being built to accommodate athletes and officials during the upcoming SEA Games.

No fatalities were reported in the second blaze at the site in four weeks but the fire caused major traffic congestion on Jl. Asia Afrika near the Senayan stadium in Central Jakarta where the building is located.

The estimated financial loss has yet to be calculated, said Arie Sudewo, a deputy chairman of the SEA Games's organizing committee.

According to Arie, the fire, which started at about 4:15 p.m., only burned coconut palm fibers and styrofoam that was to be used for the construction of a park located next to a swimming pool on the fifth floor.

"We still don't know the cause of the fire. We will wait for the police investigation," he told reporters at the scene.

But eyewitnesses said the fire might well have been ignited by a cigarette butt thrown away by a construction worker.

At least 15 fire engines from Central, South and West Jakarta rushed to the scene.

It took more than an hour to extinguish the fire.

The previous day Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave and State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman had inspected the hotel.

Arie said yesterday's fire would not affect the accommodation for the SEA Games participants.

"It's smaller than July's fire," he said.

On July 31, a fire burned another part of the fifth floor of the hotel. Firefighters took two and a half hours to put that out.

Arie said July's fire had been caused by "a technical error".

Another fire yesterday destroyed 12 houses in a densely populated area on Jl. Rawasari Selatan, in Rawasari subdistrict, Central Jakarta, leaving 94 people homeless.

The fire, which started at about 1:30 p.m. quickly spread through the houses because of the strong wind.

No fatalities were reported but a resident suffered a slight injury. A motorcycle was also destroyed.

Neighborhood Chief Supono, said the fire broke out on the second floor of a house in the area.

"It was probably caused by a short circuit in the house," he said.

The losses had not yet been calculated, he said.

Residents complained the fire engines took ages to arrive at the scene.

But members of the Central Jakarta Fire Brigade rejected the residents' complaint, saying that they were late because of the restricted access to the site. (jun)