Four Permanent Houses In Densely Populated Gambir Area Burnt

Firefighters extinguish a fire in a densely populated residential area in Gambir, Central Jakarta/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - A total of four permanent houses in a densely populated area of Jalan Kebon Jahe Kober Gang 3, RT 003/08, Petojo Selatan Village, Gambir District, Central Jakarta were burned down.

The fire was triggered by an electrical short in a room in one of the houses at the location.

Head of Central Jakarta Gulkarmat Sub-dept. Asril Rizal said that after receiving reports of fires from residents at around 08.51 WIB, his party dispatched 8 fire engines to the location of the reported fire.

"The extinguishing process was completed at around 09.48 WIB. The objects that burned were 4 densely populated houses," said Asril Rizal when confirmed by VOI, Thursday, July 21.

Even though the fire was extinguished, the firefighters seemed to be still cooling the fire site. There were no injuries or fatalities in this fire incident. However, residents suffered material losses in the hundreds of millions.

"The area burned is about 200 square meters. Of the 4 houses, 5 families (KK) with 22 people live," he said.

Currently, Gulkarmat officers are still making data at the location of the fire.

"From the initial information, the fire broke out from the room of one of the residents which was empty (Mrs. Lia's house) and suddenly the fire had grown bigger. The first witness who saw it was Iwan (the head of the mosque), a total of four houses were burned," he said.