Fire guts 112 kiosks

BOGOR (JP): A massive fire gutted 112 kiosks and damaged 15 others at the Cileungsi market of Cileungsi Kidul village in the early hours of Friday.

"The fire started at about 1 a.m. at a kiosk belonging to a plastics seller, Sony, in block B. But the cause of fire is still under police investigation," head of Cileungsi district Mas'an Djadjuli told reporters.

"Thirteen fire trucks were deployed to put out the fire, which they succeeded in doing at about 5 a.m.," he added.

According to the traders, they were about to open their stalls when the fire started, leaving them in a panic as they attempted to save their merchandise.

Firemen found it difficult to put out the fire because there were no fire hydrants available in the market, which has been operating for four years.

"The market is a permanent one but there isn't a single fire hydrant available. We had to take our water supply from the PT Aspac Paper plant, some 4 kilometers away," said a fireman.

"Other trucks even had to take their water supply from Cibubur Flower Park," he added. (21/nvn)