Spate of fires affects capital
Spate of fires affects capital
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
There are still several weeks of dry weather ahead before the
first rains return here, and one result of this is tinder box-
like conditions in the city and a rash of devastating fires in
the last few weeks, including three on Tuesday morning.
The three most recent incidents early on Tuesday kept fire
fighters busy, and in some cases injured.
At least 23 fire trucks and support vehicles from the Jakarta
fire department and East Jakarta depot were used to extinguish
the fire that gutted dozens of houses in the densely populated
area off of Jl. Kalibaru III in Senen, Central Jakarta.
The fire caused panic among the traders at Poncol market,
which is located close to Kalibaru, as they scrambled to save
their merchandise.
Fireman Sudiono said there were no fatalities, while the
police were still investigating the cause of the fire and the
amount of losses incurred.
In addition, according to residents, two men were arrested for
alleged looting, while an accomplice managed to flee the scene.
Sukma, a resident of Kalibaru, said that the fire started at
about 11:50 p.m. in a vacant house.
Separately, three fire trucks from the West Jakarta depot
managed to put out a fire that damaged a housewares shop on Jl.
Asem in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, at about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Kebun Jeruk police suspected an electricity short circuit
caused the fire.
Four fire fighters had to be treated for burn wounds incurred
while extinguishing another fire in a chemical store on Jl. Angke
Raya Wijayakusuma in West Jakarta, late on Monday.
A subsequent explosion of a chemical substance burned the
four, identified as Wirawan, Hasanuddin, Andi and Ari.
The case is still being investigated by the Tanjung Duren
police.
According to the city fire department, there were 390 reports
of fires between January and July this year.
Major fire cases in Jakarta this month also occurred on Aug.
15, which left 1,500 residents of Cakung in East Jakarta
homeless, and on Aug. 16, several hundred Petamburan residents in
Central Jakarta watched their homes burn to the ground.