Three fires over weekend

JAKARTA (JP): Three fires broke out yesterday in Central and East Jakarta, destroying dozens of homes, most of which were plywood shacks.

In Petamburan, 20 shacks were razed and many more destroyed by residents to prevent the flames from spreading. The fire was thought to have originated in an empty house around 4 p.m. Firefighters had difficulty reaching the site situated along a railway.

In Menteng at 6 a.m., three shacks on Jl. Anyar were gutted, leaving 27 homeless. In Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, several more residents lost homes as one large building with 14 rented rooms caught fire, an officer at the East Jakarta fire department said. (04/anr)