Fire Incident At Bengkulu Cosmetics Shop, A Mother And 2 Children Died

Four people die in the New Equator fire in Bengkulu (Photo: ANTARA)

BENGKULU - The Bengkulu City Police said that the fire at the minimarket as well as the New Khatulistiwa cosmetic shop located on Jalan KZ Abidin, Behind Pondok Village, Ratu Samban District, Bengkulu City, was allegedly caused by a short circuit.

Bengkulu Police Chief AKBP Andy Daddy Nurchayo represented by Head of Public Relations of Bengkulu Police AKP Sugiharto said that currently his party is conducting a crime scene (TKP).

"Based on temporary information, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit," said Sugiharto in Bengkulu, as reported by Antara, Tuesday, November 23.

As a result of the incident, four people died, namely the wife of the shop owner Y (36), the children of the shop owners B (6) and V (8) and the caregiver of victim B (26). The chronology of the incident began when witness Maman (38) wanted to take out his car in front of the Equator Shop at 06.00 WIB. At that time the witness saw fire coming out of the ground floor of the shop.

Then the witness immediately honked his car horn five times to wake up the shop owner and was assisted by witness Tina. Not long after, the shop owner, Anton came out of the shop after hearing the screams of witness Tina and seeing the fire.

When trying to save his wife and child who were on the second floor of the building, the fire had grown and it was difficult to get inside.

Sugiharto stated that at 11.30 WIB, the fire could be extinguished by the firefighters involving the Bengkulu Police and Bengkulu Police Armored Water Cannon (AWC) cars and assisted by residents.

After that, PBK and Basarnas personnel went inside to evacuate the victims who were still inside, and at around 11.39 WIB, three victims namely Y, B and V were evacuated and taken to Bhayangkara Hospital. At 12.00 WIB, another victim, namely B, was successfully evacuated and taken to Bhayangkara Hospital.