Dozens Of Houses In Mendawai Palangka Raya Burned

Members of the Palangka Raya City Fire Department extinguished the fire that occurred in the area of Jalan Mendawai at the end, Tuesday (12/9/2023) night. BETWEEN/Personal Documentations

PALANGKA RAYA - The fire incident scorched dozens of houses in a densely populated area of Jalan Mendawai, Palangka Raya City, Central Kalimantan (Central Kalimantan).

Head of the Palangka Raya City Fire and Rescue Service, Gloria, said that the fire of the dozens of houses was estimated to have temporarily lost around Rp. 2 billion.

"There were no fatalities in the incident that occurred at night at around 18.30 WIB. However, two residents were burned and have been taken to the hospital," Gloria said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, September 12.

Meanwhile, at different locations, the Head of the Operations Control and Communications and Rescue Section of the Palangka City Fire and Rescue Service, Sucipto, said that members of the fire department (damkar), both owned by the government and the private sector who came to the scene, immediately surrounded the flames that had engulfed residents' houses.

The fire quickly grew because the burning buildings were mostly wooden, so the fire quickly engulfed the houses of residents around the scene.

"At that time we received news that on Jalan Mendawai there was a fire, black smoke, difficult water and small lanes and many who watched. It is estimated that more than 20 houses were burned," he said.

For the cause of the fire, the Fire Department has not been able to confirm. Not only community housing burned, but also public facilities.

The head of Palangka Dawit village said that his party was still collecting data on fire victims. There will even be plans for a refugee camp to be carried out.

The plan is for the refugee camps to temporarily borrow the mosque hall and can also be directed to the Kahayan Market area and the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) building.

"There were three Neighborhood Units (RT) who were victims of the fire tonight and the house of the head of the RT was also burned down," said Dawit.