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Staff shortages hamper Jakarta’s battle against blazes
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A firefighter prepares a fire truck on July 30 at the West Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency.
PHOTO: THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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JAKARTA – Jakarta is grappling with an alarming surge in fire incidents this year, with blazes tearing through densely packed neighbourhoods and vital infrastructure, all while the city’s firefighting force struggles to keep up amid chronic understaffing.
In one of the year’s largest fires, a massive blaze in North Jakarta’s Kapuk Muara displaced 3,200 people and destroyed at least 485 semi-permanent homes in June.
