U.S. helps put out coal fires

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Mines and Energy has agreed to cooperate with the U.S. Department of the Interior to extinguish fires at hot spots in the coal-rich province of East Kalimantan.

The ministry said in a statement on Friday the ministry and the U.S. department's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement had formed a team to coordinate efforts of extinguish fires across the province.

The ministry's officials on the team have received training in the U.S.

There are reportedly about 200 fire centers in the province, nine of which have been extinguished by the team.

All the activities are being financed with a grant from the United States government. (jsk)