Six fires light up city in blackout

Six fires light up city in blackout

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The massive blackout in Java and Bali on Thursday not only
crippled the capital's transportation, but also triggered fires
at separate six locations in Greater Jakarta as many people lit
candles inside their houses or stores.

Husni, a resident of Cimanggis in Depok, had to watch his
house burn on Thursday evening after he came back from the mosque
after prayers.

He left his house at about 7 p.m. with several candles still
burning as the power had not returned.

Husni concludes that the candles fell over and letters and
books on the floor in the room had caught fire.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished at 8 p.m. before it
spread to neighboring houses.

At about 8 p.m., two other fires took place in Cilincing,
North Jakarta.

Home owners, Suripto and Naah, acknowledged that they left
their homes with candles still burning that evening.

Meanwhile, Poltak Sinaga, a resident of Jaka Mulya housing
complex in Bekasi, fell asleep during the blackout, and left
candles burning in his house.

One of the candles was unintentionally kicked over and fell
down on a mattress, causing the fire to spread.

Fortunately, all the family members managed to get out of the
house before the fire spread.

In Kalibata, South Jakarta, Hendrik Muchtar lost his shop as
he used candles to light the store, while in Karawaci, Sahrun
lost several of his rented houses also because of candles that
were knocked over and burned the buildings.

Although no casualties were reported in the incidents, the
police reprimanded the fire victims.

"It is obvious that their negligence caused the fire ...
That's why we told them to be careful when using candles," City
police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono told The Jakarta Post.