(The fire was caused by) a short circuit on the second floor. (It broke out when the owner) Mrs Amei was out of the house, while her father and son were sleeping
Jakarta (ANTARA) - A fire sparked by a short circuit gutted four houses located on Kirai Street in Cipete Utara, South Jakarta on Wednesday and left 20 people displaced.

The fire started from the second floor of one of the homes and later spread to other buildings.

When the fire broke out, the owner of the house was away, while two other occupants were in bed, said spokesperson for the South Jakarta Fire Department, H Usman.

"(The fire was caused by) a short circuit on the second floor. (It broke out when the owner) Mrs Amei was out of the house, while her father and son were sleeping," he said.

The fire broke out in the densely populated area at 3.18 p.m.

Seventeen fire trucks and 45 personnel were deployed to put out the blaze.

It took fire-fighters one hour to bring the blaze under control. The fire was finally extinguished by 4.55 p.m.

No injuries or fatalities have been reported in the fire.

Usman estimated the material losses from the fire would amount to Rp800 million.

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Translator: Laily Rahmawaty/Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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