REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Jakarta has so far suffered losses worth Rp55.6 billion due to fires this year, according to the city's fire control and mitigation service.
"It has increased from last year's figure. Losses suffered from January to April 2014 reached Rp51.66 billion," head of the service Subejo said here on Thursday (12/3).
According to him, from January to March 11, 2015, some 182 fire incidents were reported in the city.
Central Jakarta recorded 42 fires, South Jakarta 42, East Jakarta 34, West Jakarta 43, and North Jakarta 30.
No fire accident was recorded in Pulau Seribu district in North Jakarta, he added.
According to data, the number of families who have lost their dwellings in fires reached 919, leaving 3,191 people affected.
"The most common cause of fires so far has been short circuit," he explained.
He noted 142 fires were caused by short circuits, 10 by stove explosions, four by burning cigarette butts, and 26 due to other factors.
In view of that, Subejo appealed to all residents to be more careful while handling electricity and avoid situations that can cause fires.
The 16th floor of Wisma Kosgoro located on MH Thamrin main road, Central Jakarta, caught fire on Monday afternoon.
"The fire broke out at 6:47 P.M. local time," a fire fighter Sapari said, adding that at least 31 fire engines were deployed to extinguish the fire.
Although no casualties were reported, the fire gutted four floors.
Previously, on Thursday evening, (March 5), a fire ravaged hundreds of homes in a densely populated area in Central Jakarta, injuring at least seven people, including two fire fighters.
According to Niko, the spokesman for the disaster mitigation team of the Indonesian Red Cross of the Central Jakarta chapter, the fire broke out at around 4 P.M. local time.
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