West Jakarta fires leave 1,500 homeless

JAKARTA (JP): Fires in Tomang and Krukut, West Jakarta, destroyed more than 140 houses yesterday, leaving about 1,500 people homeless, firefighters said.

No injuries were reported in either incident and estimates on the value of material loss were not immediately available.

The fire in Tomang gutted some 140 houses in a 1.2 hectare slum area on Jl. Banjir Kanal.

Some 350 families lost their homes.

The fire started at 10:10 a.m. and was put out at 1 p.m. by 23 fire engines deployed from West and Central Jakarta.

West Jakarta Fire Department officials said they believed the fire was started by a stove explosion in the house of Tri. S., 42.

"The fire spread quickly because the wooden houses were built very close to each other," said Syamsir Makmur, head of the West Jakarta Fire Department.

"Moreover, residents were busy trying to save their belongings and sometimes got in our way," he added.

Homeless residents were accommodated in nearby mosques and emergency tents were set up in each of the community's neighborhoods.

"The victims have received some 700 kilograms of rice, 60 boxes of instant noodles and 50 mattresses from the City Social Affairs office," Makmur added.

The fire in Krukut destroyed two houses on Jl. Keutamaan Dalam, leaving six people homeless.

The fire started at 11 a.m. and two fire engines managed to put it out by 11:45 a.m., Makmur said.

An electrical short circuit was believed to have caused the fire.

In Tomang, the victims said they feared they would never be able to rebuild their houses because they had been informed the land belonged to the state.

"Most of the houses here were built on state property. We haven't had the land status changed into private ownership," Sumono, one of the residents, said. (edt)