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.