Fire safety checks ordered<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
How safe are buildings in the city?
\nOnly after a firefighter was killed in a fire engulfing Blok M
\nmarket in South Jakarta on Monday did the Jakarta administration
\norder a check on buildings in the city to ensure they meet fire
\nsafety requirements.<\/p>\n
\"I have instructed the City Construction Supervision and
\nRegulation Agency (PPB) to check fire safety systems at
\nbuildings, especially in tall ones, and the City Fire Department
\nto check fire extinguishers,\" Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that Monday's fire, which originated from a
\ngold workshop in the market, quickly spread to nearby shops amid
\nthe absence of fire-resistant materials in the structure of the
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that PPB lacked knowledge about checking
\nwhether developers had met requirements to equip tall buildings
\nwith standard fire safety equipment as the agency focused more on
\nissuing building permits.<\/p>\n
Fauzi said the new Block A building at Tanah Abang market,
\nCentral Jakarta, was one among the few tall buildings equipped
\nwith fire safety equipment.<\/p>\n
The original block in the textile market burned down in
\nFebruary 2003, and smoldered for 10 days.<\/p>\n
For years the fire department has warned that most of the
\ncity's 1,000 tall buildings were deathtraps as only 35 percent of
\nthe building managements regularly maintained their fire safety
\nequipment.<\/p>\n
According to City Bylaw No. 3\/1992 on fire prevention, all
\ntall buildings must have emergency exits. It also stipulates that
\ndoors for emergency exits must open outward and must be made of
\nfireproof material.<\/p>\n
Tall buildings must have their own fire hoses, fire alarms,
\nsprinklers and portable fire extinguishers, the bylaw stipulates.<\/p>\n
\"Most building managements fail to keep their fire exits
\nclear ... Instead, they use the areas in front of the exits for
\nstorage,\" head of the department, Johnny Pangaribuan, said.<\/p>\n
Around 700 fires break out in the city every year, with short
\ncircuits being the most frequent cause of fire.<\/p>\n
The administration also called on Tuesday on building
\nmanagements to carry out fire drills to avoid large numbers of
\nfatalities and injury in actual fires.<\/p>\n
In another development on Monday's fire, Governor Sutiyoso
\nasserted that his administration would guarantee that the vendors
\nwould get their shops back. \"We will rebuild the market.\"<\/p>\n
Separately, city market operator PD Pasar Jaya talked the
\ntraders into moving to temporary premises.<\/p>\n
\"We will arrange for them to do business in the surrounding
\narea in temporary shelters. It is unlikely that we will ask them
\nto pay for the shelters,\" said Pasar Jaya president director
\nPrabowo Sunirman, adding that the vendors would have to trade at
\nthe temporary shelters for at least a year before the planned
\ncommercial center was completed.<\/p>\n
Because of the fire, Pasar Jaya claimed to have lost a monthly
\nincome of Rp 600 million from the market and another Rp 10
\nbillion in assets.<\/p>\n
Prabowo added that the company had donated money to the family
\nof the late firefighter Subandi.(003)<\/p>\n
I-box
\n.rm
\n.pl<\/p>\n
Fatal fires in 2005<\/p>\n
Date Place Victims\/damage<\/p>\n
April 10 Jl. Utan Panjang, Kemayoran, C.Jakarta three fatalities, 120 houses burned
\nApril 21 Manggis market, Setiabudi, C. Jakarta two fatalities, five kiosks burned
\nMay 14 Kali Anyar, Tambora, W. Jakarta five fatalities, 34 houses burned
\nJune 18 Jl. Jaksa, C. Jakarta 10 injured, 60 houses burned<\/p>\n
From media reports<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fire-safety-checks-ordered-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }