Fire destroys 144 kiosks in Kebon Kembang market

BOGOR (JP): A fire has gutted 144 temporary kiosks erected after a fatal blaze at Bogor's ill-fated Kebon Kembang market last year.

Ten shop employees were killed in the fire which destroyed hundreds of shops and the Ramayana department store on March 28, 1996.

There were no fatalities in Thursday's fire which started about 7:30 p.m. and caused hundreds of millions of rupiah in damage.

Ten fire engines from the Bogor Fire Department and a nearby cement plant, PT Indocement Cibinong, extinguished the fire about 9:30 p.m.

Police are still investigating the cause of the fire which destroyed 144 of the 2,131 temporary kiosks. An additional 43 shops were broken into and looted.

Kebon Kembang market, which was also called Pasar Anyar, was destroyed by fire in 1956, 1976, 1986 and l996.

Some kiosk owners suspect the fire was deliberately lit to hasten the construction of the new market. The temporary kiosks on Jl. M.A. Salmun had been built only days after the fatal fire in 1996 to accommodate shop owners.

The Bogor mayoralty planned to replace the old three story market building with two buildings, one with eight floors and the other with six floors. The construction of the new market is scheduled to start next month.

Yudi, a kiosk owner, said yesterday he was told by a woman that she smelled gasoline in one of the kiosks.

"I don't believe that the fire was an pure accident," Ramli, another trader, said.

A plastic bag, which was believed to contain the remains of gasoline, was found in a toilet at a nearby Borobudur department store, Antara reported.

Bogor mayoralty spokesman, Hari Harsono, denied the claims saying the kiosks would soon be rebuild in the same location.

"The kiosks will be given to the owners free of charge," Hari said.

The kiosk owners, who sold mostly vegetables, chicken meat and household goods, were seen sifting through the remains for valuables.

After last year's fire, traders complained that each time the market was rebuilt many had to quit their businesses as they could no longer afford the rent. (24/jun)