Fire razes 200 kiosks

MAJALENGKA, West Java: Fire gutted about 200 kiosks at the Prapatan market here on Saturday, causing at least Rp 879 million in financial losses.

The fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit, the Antara news agency reported.

Poor water supply in the area slowed the efforts of the fire brigade to extinguish the blaze.

Besides the absence of a nearby river, many of the wells have dried up in the current dry season.

The traders who own the kiosks said they did not have any insurance and that most of them were still paying off the kiosks by installments. (prs)