Palembang, KOTABARI.COM – Two wooden houses located on Yayasan I Street, Sei Buah Village, Ilir Timur II Subdistrict, Palembang, were engulfed by a fierce fire on Tuesday afternoon (August 15, 2023). The incident resulted in significant losses and left one of the occupants injured.
The houses were occupied by Ernawati (74) and her daughter, Lina (40), along with their son-in-law and three grandchildren. The wooden structure of the houses allowed the fire to spread rapidly, consuming the buildings within a short period.
The incident began around 4:45 PM local time when Lina was boiling water using a gas stove. Unfortunately, she left the stove unattended for a brief moment to go to a nearby store. During her absence, the fire from the stove caught the wooden walls of the house, and in a matter of minutes, the fire had spread uncontrollably.
The rapidly growing flames quickly engulfed the entire houses, causing severe damages. Lina herself sustained injuries to her foot while trying to escape the flames.
Firefighting teams from PBK Palembang and Pusri were dispatched to the scene and worked tirelessly to extinguish the flames. After an hour of effort, the fire was successfully brought under control by around 5:45 PM. Authorities suspect that the cause of the fire was due to the gas stove being left unattended by Lina for several minutes.
According to Ilir Timur II Subdistrict Police Chief, Kompol Fadhilah Ermi, the fire was a result of negligence in monitoring the gas stove. Lina had left the stove while boiling water, and upon her return, the fire had already escalated and reached the wooden walls. While Lina and her mother managed to escape, a witness named Leni suffered an injury to her foot from shards of glass during the escape.
Law enforcement has cordoned off the area for further investigation. Although the extent of material losses is yet to be determined, the homeowners claimed that there were approximately 10 “suku” of gold reserves lost in the fire.
This incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of caution when using kitchen appliances and the necessity of vigilant supervision while cooking, especially in houses constructed with flammable materials like wood.