Fire guts Jakarta's major shopping center

Fire guts Jakarta's major shopping center

JAKARTA (JP): Fire gutted around 300 shops in the Pasar Baru
Shopping Center yesterday. The fire began around 5:30 a.m. and
had not subsided by late evening. Two firefighters sustained
minor injuries and losses are expected to amount to billions of
rupiah.

The fire burned the second, third and fourth story of the
Harco Plaza on Jl. Samanhudi, Central Jakarta. Twenty-eight fire
brigades from various districts were deployed.

The Sawah Besar Police subprecinct chief Major M. Iriawan said
the fire began in a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet on Harco
Plaza's second floor.

Around midday the fire spread to King Plaza, linked to Harco
Plaza by a pedestrian bridge, a police source said.

At 7:45 p.m. fire had spread to neighboring stores, Grand
Optic and Bazaar 123 stores.

Firefighters said major problems they had encountered included
fire hydrants in the area not functioning and strong winds. Glass
panels had to be smashed before firefighters could go through
thick smoke. A firefighter said the smoke was worse than at the
fire which razed the Senen market in November.

Suharso, chief of the city's fire department, said the fire
had been difficult to reach because it was in the center of Harco
Plaza.

Water was supplied from a nearby river, 100 meters east of the
shopping center.

Two firefighters were injured by pieces of glass; no other
casualties were reported.

Among the largest stores destroyed were the Matahari
Department Store outlets, both in Harco and King Plaza.

Iriawan said six security guards were taken for questioning.

Witnesses said the fire had been caused by a short circuit in
the Kentucky Fried Chicken store. But other witnesses said the
source of the fire had been the explosion of a stove in the
restaurant around 5 a.m.

Sources, who declined to be named, said the cause was arson.

A building technician said electricity had been switched off
each night, making a short circuit unlikely. A trader said
several kiosk owners whose shops were not insured had evacuated
their merchandise Sunday.

Dedy Kusnaedi, branch director of the state-run pawn shop in
Pasar Baru, Perum Pegadaian, estimated losses at Rp 4 billion.

"We will be responsible for all losses," Dedy said. He said
the firm would compensate all losses. Several people had pawned
valuables to get money for the Idul Fitri celebrations which fall
on Feb. 9 and 10.

An owner of an optical store claimed losses of about Rp 500
million (US$207,296). A photographic shop claimed Rp 1 billion in
losses and an interior design shop Rp 2 billion.

A shop and restaurant owner expressed sadness because the
chance to make money during the Idul Fitri holidays had
disappeared.

"Starting this week my sales were increasing but the fire has
wiped out my hope," another shop owner said.

Employees had not been paid salaries and Idul Fitri
allowances.

Another fire occurred in Cengkareng, West Jakarta: a plastic
factory, PT Samudra Plastik, was destroyed in the Kapuk
subdistrict, in the morning.

Suharso said there had been at least 62 fires this month.
(team)