Fire destroys four blocks of souvenir market in Kuta
Fire destroys four blocks of souvenir market in Kuta
KUTA, Bali (JP): Fire destroyed four blocks of a five-block
souvenir market here on Sunday, causing at least Rp 5 billion in
losses.
No fatalities were reported.
Eyewitnesses said the fire started at about 7:00 a.m. local
time at a kiosk in Block A.
"Strong wind apparently caused the fire to escalate in a very
short time. We were unable to contain it," an eyewitness said.
Most of the kiosks were closed during the Muslim holiday of
Idul Fitri, which was celebrated on Saturday and Sunday. Their
owners had returned home for celebrations.
Chairman of the roadside vendors association, Zainuddin, said
that at least 512 kiosks in Block A, B, C and D were razed.
He speculated that a short circuit might have caused the fire.
"It was not done by an arsonist," he said.
Badung regent IGB Alit Putra, who visited the site after the
fire was put out at about 11:00 a.m., said the local
administration would help kiosk owners rebuild the market.
The souvenir market, situated at Kuta Central parking lot, was
rebuilt by the Badung regency after the 1998 arson.
Sources said that Kuta residents were upset by the noisy
roadside souvenir vendors. The locals accused the vendors of
contributing to "chaos" and a soaring crime rate in the well-
known tourist resort.
In an earlier incident in Badung on Friday, hundreds of Dusun
Sekarmukti residents in Petang district vandalized state tap
water company PDAM Jaya, demanding a normal water supply.
The attack began at 8:00 p.m. when a mob threw pieces of wood
and stones at the building before destroying the company's main
gate. Three security guards were forced to flee as the number of
attackers increased.
Chief of Petang police subprecinct, Lt. Dewa Kebon, said the
disgruntled residents staged their first protest in the morning.
"PDAM officials then promised to supply them with water. However,
water ran for only about 30 minutes."
A protesting resident said, "We've been running out of tap
water for two weeks, and we need water for the celebrations of
Galungan and Kuningan."
"We are not supplied with water, but we must pay the bill on
time. PDAM always imposes fines for any delay of payment, even if
it's only 15 minutes," he said.
The residents broke water meters at their homes in an initial
protest against PDAM's poor service.
An agreement was finally reached at 11:00 a.m. between
representatives of the residents and PDAM officials, who promised
to bring the tap water supply back to normal. (zen/sur)