Fire razes shop-houses in the Jambi market

JAKARTA (JP): Traders and shophouse owners at Nipang Panjang market, in the Jambi regency of East Tanjung Jabung, watched desperately as a fire razed their properties early on Monday.

Chief of Nipah Panjang Police precinct, Second Lt. Jasmani in told visiting Governor Zulkifli Nurdin that the fire destroyed 104 shophouses, most of them were made of wood.

The fire started at about 6 a.m. and was extinguished three hours later after a number of fire engines had been deployed. At least 12 shops were damaged to prevent the fire from spreading.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

No fatalities or injuries were reported in the incident, but material losses are estimated to have reached hundreds of millions of rupiah.

According to Antara, 437 people became homeless as a result of the blaze. They are being temporarily sheltered at nearby mosques and schools. The governor has donated Rp 15 million and 10 tons of rice for those who are displaced and has promised to help the traders rebuild their shops.

Zulkifli warned that fires had begun to prevail in the regency, despite the arrival of rainy season. There have been at least four fires in the last five months alone.

"Previous fires in the villages of Dendang, Kampung Laut and Bendahara Ilir razed 454 houses and shops," he said. (prb)