Nine hurt, two missing in building collapse<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A three-story wall at the burned-out Tanah Abang textile market
\ncollapsed on Saturday, injuring at least nine people, including a
\nmarine soldier, while two other workers were buried and still
\nmissing under the rubble.<\/p>\n
The police, in coordination with personnel from city market
\noperator PD Pasar Jaya, were still searching for the missing
\nworkers as of late Saturday, while the injured were being treated
\nin nearby hospitals with broken bones and head injuries.<\/p>\n
The injured workers, who were dismantling the mostly abandoned
\nbuilding as part of the renovation project after it was razed by
\nfire last February, were having lunch on the site when the
\naccident took place at about 1 p.m. The marine is believed to
\nhave been part of a group providing security at the site, which
\nwas the center of a dispute with traders last year.<\/p>\n
Other workers were hurriedly whisked away by security guards
\nand strictly forbidden from speaking to the press, while several
\nmarines and the foreman also refused to answer questions.<\/p>\n
One police officer said they had taken four witnesses to the
\nTanah Abang police station for questioning.<\/p>\n
The old market will be replaced by a luxury mall, and is
\ncurrently around 75 percent demolished.<\/p>\n
More than 400 traders, who have defiantly stayed in the old
\nmarket and vehemently rejected the plan to build a mall that will
\nbe too expensive for them to rent space, argued that the old
\nbuilding was safe enough and they were determined to stay.<\/p>\n
City Council member Usman Sapta Odang apparently promised the
\ntraders that they could stay at the old market. However, the
\ntraders decided to move to a temporary building nearby a few
\nweeks ago.<\/p>\n
Tanah Abang Market Director Prabowo Sunirman ruled out any
\nfoul play. "I'm not that cruel to kill people just to justify
\nthat we were right to force them to move (because the building
\nwas unsafe)."<\/p>\n
He added that the injured would have their hospital bills paid
\nby the market.<\/p>\n
"We have sent the victims to the hospital, six have been
\ndischarged while three who had serious injuries are still in the
\nintensive care unit. We will take care all of their hospital
\nexpenses," asserted Prabowo.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nine-hurt-two-missing-in-building-collapse-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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