Three killed in shop-house fire

Three killed in shop-house fire

JAKARTA (JP): A two-story shop-house on Jl. Sadar, Cipinang
Muara in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, was gutted by fire Wednesday,
killing three of the employees, according to an East Jakarta fire
department officer.

Yoyon Ardisoma, the head of the fire department, said the
victims, who are thought to have died after being trapped in the
flames, were identified as Awaluddin, 32; Habib, 18 and Suharno,
25.

The fire, which started at about 4 a.m., was apparently caused
by an electrical short circuit on the first floor of the building
which did not have any proper fire exit.

Twelve fire engines were sent to the scene and the blaze was
extinguished by about 5:15 a.m.

"We could not do much as when we arrived the fire had already
spread up to the second floor. The fire was probably reported to
us a bit late," Yoyon said.

Police detained the owner of the shop-house, Abdul Ali, 52,
for questioning.

The three badly burned bodies were sent to Cipto Mangunkusumo
General Hospital for postmortem examinations.

Another fire gutted a four-story shop-house owned by Hendro
Wijaya, 42, on Jl. Kapuk Raya in North Jakarta Tuesday.

An electrical short circuit is also believed to have caused
this fire. Fourteen fire engines were deployed to put out the
blaze which started at 8:45 p.m. No fatalities were reported.
(edt/ivy)