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Electrical short circuits, candles cause dozens of fires during Jakarta blackout
Many of the fires were caused by candles or short circuits during the blackout resulting in dozens of houses being burned down and several lives lost.
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Firefighters douse a fire that engulfed houses in Johar Baru, Jakarta on Monday. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
D
ozens of fires, two of them fatal, were reported across Jakarta on Sunday amid the massive power outage that disrupted activities in the western part of Java Island.
Many of the fires were caused by candles or short circuits during the blackout resulting in dozens of houses being burned down and several lives lost.
Data from the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency showed that 40 fires broke out on Sunday and Monday, most occurring at night. Fifteen incidents were reported between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Another 25 fires occurred between 6 p.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. Monday. Data obtained by The Jakarta Post on Monday afternoon from agency acting head Subejo showed that 18 of the blazes were in private homes.
The data also revealed that 40 percent of the fires, 16 incidents, were caused by electrical short circuits followed by candles in 11 incidents and burning trash with 10 incidents.
Jakarta and its surrounding areas suffered a massive blackout lasting several hours from just before noon on Sunday. The blackout, the largest in the past two decades, continued in different parts of Greater Jakarta throughout Monday.
Subejo called on the public not to use candles for lighting but to use emergency lamps instead.
