The cause of the fire that broke out at 2.30 p.m. local time had not yet been determined.
"We are still estimating the exact number of casualties. Based on the firefighters assessment, the toll has been put at eight for now," said the chief of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Tanjung Perak Port Police, Adjunct Commissioner Tinton Yudha Riambodo, on Tuesday night.
"We are still investigating the case of the fire," he said. The blaze was put out by around 5.30 p.m.
According to its owner, the boarding house had 20 inmates. "We do not know yet how many of them were there in the house when the fire broke out," said Tinton.
None of the bodies had been identified, he said. "We find it difficult to identify the victims as the bodies have been badly burnt," he added.
Local residents said among the dead was an infant.
All the bodies have been taken to Dr Soetomo Regional General Hospital in Surabaya.
(S012/INE/B003)
Reporter: Slamet Agus Sudarmojo/ Hanif N
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
