Massive Fire In Solid Settlement In Palembang, Police Suspect Due To Overload Of Electricity

A house fire in a densely populated residential area in Palembang, South Sumatra, Monday (13/6/2022) (ANTARA/M Riezko Bima Elko P/22)

PALEMBANG - A massive fire has hit a densely populated residential area on Jalan Nias, 26 Ilir DI Village, Palembang, South Sumatra (Sumsel). The Ilir Barat Police suspect that the fire occurred due to the electrical load on Monday at around 08.00 WIB.

The head of the Ilir Barat I Polsek Palembang, Kompol Roy Tambunan, said that the alleged cause of the fire was obtained from the results of the investigation of the crime scene and supported by statements from witnesses and victims.

"That's right, we found that there was a bed with an electrical power of 900 VA but it uses AC (air conditioner), so the suspicion is that there was an overload that caused an electrical short circuit to trigger a fire," he said in Palembang, quoted from Antara, Monday, June 13.

He explained that based on witness testimony, he had seen smoke coming out of the bed occupied by one family at around 07.30 WIB.

The bed is at the bottom of a semi-permanent house owned by a local resident with the initials Ir (64) who works as a trader every day.

Furthermore, the fire quickly spread to burn the entire 8 x 20 meter semi-permanent house, which was mostly made of wood.

Where, the fire soared about two meters into the air to shock local residents.

Finding this condition, he said, the victim immediately asked the local RT chief for help by contacting the personnel of the IB I Palembang Police and the Fire Department, which deployed a total of six fire engines.

So that the blazing fire can be immediately tamed and does not spread to the houses of other residents who are close to each other, at 09.10 WIB.

Police personnel who were deployed in the field together with local residents managed to evacuate an elderly person who uses a wheelchair before the fire spread while ensuring that there were no fatalities in the fire.

"One house, including the bunk, was burned to the ground, there were no casualties from the incident," he said.

Meanwhile, the total material loss cannot be estimated.