Fire Guts Boarding House in Cipete Utara

A fire destroyed a boarding house at Jalan Sawo, RT 10/15, Cipete Utara, South Jakarta, Monday (8/25). There was no casualty reported in the incident.

Temporary allegation, fire is triggered by electricity short-circuit

"Around 12.30 PM, I heard shouts of fire from someone after he/she saw flames from a dorm room at the top. Then I immediately get out and saw fire keeps growing up ," expressed Lilis, an owner of boarding house, Monday (8/25).

Fire Burnt 30 Semi-Permanent Houses

According to Lilis, most of the boarders are workers, and were not inside the building when fire occurred. "They (boarders) were still in the office, thus I asked for help to neighbors," he told.

Firemen of South Jakarta Fire and Disaster Handling Sub-Department who arrived five minutes immediately did localization at the scene because of the fire location is categorized as a densely populated. Because of the building location is in a narrow alley, fire trucks had to extinguish the flames through a residential complex near the boarding house.

Fortunately, firemen managed to control the flames about one hour later.

Team Commander of South Jakarta Fire and Disaster Handling Sub-Department, Agus disclosed flames could be extinguished thus it did not spread to the next buildings. "Fire only destroyed three rooms. We deploy 12 fire trucks to the scene," he stated.

He added that the cause of the fire is still being investigated. "Temporary allegation, fire is triggered by electricity short-circuit," he uttered.