Fire destroys brothels complex<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A fire destroyed 10 buildings in a brothel
\ncomplex in Pejompongan, Central Jakarta, Monday night but no one
\nwas killed.<\/p>\n
It took fire fighters only an hour to put out the fire which
\nstarted about 11 p.m., Central Jakarta Fire Brigade officer
\nZaenal said.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said the fire started on the second floor of the
\nMadurasa bar of the brothel complex and spread destroying seven
\nsmall discotheques and three homes.<\/p>\n
\"A boy tried to warn guests who were dancing on the first
\nfloor of the bar, but they ignored the warning because of loud
\nmusic,\" a resident, Kuntadi, said.<\/p>\n
He said guests were shocked and ran out of the bar after a man
\nwarned them by smashing a beer bottle against the wall.<\/p>\n
A Central Jakarta Police precinct sergeant speculated a short
\ncircuit caused the fire.<\/p>\n
But Rifai, another resident, said he was not sure. \"I don't
\nknow what exactly caused the fire. It was probably arson.\"<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta mayoralty closed the red-light district and
\nsealed at least 25 brothels on March 24 to make way for cheap
\napartments.<\/p>\n
However, some brothel operators reopened their businesses
\ndespite stern warnings from the Bendungan Hilir subdistrict
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Kuntadi said some brothel owners got Rp 400,000 (US$172.67)
\nper square meter as compensation.<\/p>\n
But other brothel owners rejected the city administration's
\ncompensation rate because it was too low. They demanded Rp 2.5
\nmillion per square meter.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi said earlier the apartment
\nwould be built early next year after all the brothels, which
\nopened in the 1970s, were pulled down.<\/p>\n
At least 125 prostitutes worked in the brothels before they
\nwere closed. Some of them have moved to other prostitution
\ncomplexes and some returned to their villages. (jun)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fire-destroys-brothels-complex-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}