City tightens building licensing

City tightens building licensing

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will refuse to issue
occupancy permits for high-rise buildings unless they are
provided with proper fire safety equipment, a senior official has
said.

"Developers and owners should not think they can transfer and
use the building once it is completed but without adequate fire
precaution facilities," Abdul Kahfi, deputy governor of
administrative affairs, said Tuesday.

When asked why only a few of the government's tall buildings
had been provided with such facilities, he said he would make
sure that all buildings were equipped.

He said the administration would ask the city's fire
department to check on high-rise buildings for fire equipment,
Antara reported.

Fire department chief Suharso said about 60 percent of the
fire equipment available in tall buildings throughout the city
did not meet the standard requirements.

Official figures show that Jakarta has 814 high-rise
buildings. The fire department has 113 fire engines and 3,000
employees who handle about 1,000 fires a year.

Between Jan. 1 and March 21 this year, 155 fires occurred in
Jakarta, according to the department's data. (pan)