Losses Due To Fire 4 Houses And 2 Kiosks In Ambon Estimated To Reach IDR 1 Billion

Four houses and two houses in Ambon were burned down. (15/12) (ANTARA/HO/Polresta)

The fire of four houses and two kiosks in the Bima Benteng Atas area, Ambon City, is estimated to have caused a loss of around Rp. 1 billion.

"There were no casualties or injuries in the accident, but material losses are quite large," said Head of Public Relations of the Ambon Police, Ipda Janete S. Luhukay in his statement, quoted Friday, December 15.

According to him, the amount of the loss due to six motorbikes belonging to witness Julius Apolo Ritho was burned down, then added various basic necessities in a kiosk owned by Julius and a kiosk owned by Mrs. Emelia plus four units of residents' houses.

Kapolsek Nusaniwe Iptu Johan APOtta together with picket personnel who arrived at the scene immediately helped local residents to extinguish the fire using makeshift tools and evacuate valuables.

The police also collected statements from a number of witnesses at the scene who admitted that the cause of the fire was suspected to be a short circuit or an electrical short circuit.

Witness Julius said that at around 11.00 WIT while inside his kiosk, he was informed by residents who passed by to see that there was a large fire.

After that the witness came out of the kiosk and saw that the flames had grown on the second floor of the former witness' boarding house, so he asked local residents for help to evacuate valuables from the kiosk while trying to extinguish the fire using makeshift tools.

However, the flames grew and spread to houses and kiosks around four Ambon City Government fire engines and arrived at the scene where the incident extinguished.

The police also appealed to the public and PLN not to neglect to check electricity regularly to prevent disasters like this that could cause casualties and material losses.