Within Hours, Two Fires Occurred In Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta

Burnt residential building on Jalan Masjid Al Huda, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta/ Photo: Jehan/ VOI

JAKARTA – In one day, Tuesday, May 24, the Kebayoran Lama area, South Jakarta, there were two fires in two different locations. Based on reports, the first fire occurred on Jalan Masjid Al Huda, Kebayoran Lama, at around 11.50 WIB.

The deputy head of the Kebayoran Lama sub-district, Sidik Rawanta, said that there were around 50 heads of families (KK) whose houses were burned down as a result of the incident.

"The number of houses or rented houses is approximately 30 houses consisting of approximately 50 Family Cards (KK) if we estimate there are 150 people," Sidik told reporters at the location, Tuesday, May 24.

Meanwhile, the South Jakarta Gulkarmat Sub-dept.'s picket officer, Agus Sukoco, said that 27 firefighters had been deployed.

"27 firefighting units were deployed and hundreds of personnel were deployed," he said.

Agus explained that the fire was suspected to have originated from an electric short circuit in one of the residents' houses that was used as a motorcycle repair shop. Then the fire grabbed another house.

"This fire started from an alleged short circuit in one of the residents' houses, which caused other houses to be affected," he said.

One of the houses that caught fire on Jalan Masjid Al Huda, South Jakarta/ Photo: Jehan/ VOI

The same incident also occurred on Jalan Pulo Mawar, Kebayoran Lama. In this incident, there were 1 residential house and 1 rented house which had five doors burned.

"The object of the fire is 1 residential unit + 5 rented doors," said Piket Officer Agus Sukoco when confirmed, Tuesday, May 24.

Agus said his party received a report from the local lurah at around 19.45 WIB. He suspected the cause of the fire was an electrical short circuit.

"It is suspected that there was an electrical short," he said.

A total of 12 units of South Jakarta firefighters were deployed. The fire was extinguished in about an hour.

He confirmed that there were no fatalities or injuries in the fire incident. However, the loss is estimated at Rp 500 million.

Almost fell victim

At the site of the first fire, on Al Huda Street, one of the women was nearly trapped inside a burning building.

Wati, one of the residents affected by the fire, said that at that time she panicked because her mother was still in the house. At that time, Wati was guarding the shop. He just woke up when he smelled burnt smell.

"So when the smell of burning came out. I came out, it turned out that the fire was already big. I checked the house. It was also burning," he said

When the fire broke out, Wati said the first thing that came to mind was her parents. Luckily he swiftly saved his parents.

One of the residents who almost became a victim of a fire on Jalan Masjid Al Huda, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta/ Photo: Jehan/ VOI

"I immediately pulled my mother, Alhamdulillah survived. But if the house papers caught fire," said Wati while holding back tears.

VOI monitoring at the location, the fire can be extinguished at 14.50 WIB. There were no casualties in the fire incident.

A piggy bank containing Rp2 million was burned

Aris (41), an online motorcycle taxi driver (ojol) whose house caught fire on Jalan Al Huda, admitted that he had suffered a lot of losses. In addition to the burning house, Aris' savings at home amounting to Rp. 2 million was burned. Even though he saved the money for the purpose of giving birth to his pregnant wife.

Aris found out that his house was on fire after being contacted by one of his family members. Apparently, Aris was carrying passengers at that time. He was forced to ask the passengers for permission to drop them off at the Velbak area, Kabayoran Baru, South Jakarta. Then Aris returned to his house which was on fire.

"I was taking a taxi, earlier from Velbak it looked like it was right under here, all of them were turning around from here. My passenger I got off the front here earlier. Sir, I'm sorry, sir, come down first, I think my house caught fire," said Aris to reporters at the location, Tuesday, May 24.

Aris, an online motorcycle taxi driver whose house was also burned down, and even Rp2 million in savings was burned/ Photo: Jehan/ VOI

After he checked his house, Aris said he was shocked and his feelings were crushed. What's more, his wife, Sumarti (35) plans to give birth to a second child.

"It's a mess, especially when my wife is about to give birth next month, only 3 weeks left for my wife to give birth," said Aris to reporters at the location, Tuesday, May 24.

Aris said that as a result of his house being burned down, his belongings were burned. Aris said, he could only save one laptop unit.

"The child was safely woken up, only had time to save the laptop," he said.

Sumarti (35), Aris's wife, admitted that apart from charred items, a piggy bank containing Rp2 million in cash to be used for birth expenses was also burned.

"There are 2 million in savings, the cash was burned completely, if the ATM was also burned 2 million in the wallet. BPJS also burned, all burned, "he concluded.