Mon, 01 Jul 2002

Fire razes six kiosks at Senen market

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Only a day after a fire destroyed the Taman Puring market in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, a fire swept through the Senen market in Central Jakarta.

The fire, which began early on Sunday morning, destroyed six kiosks and damaged eight others on the second floor of section B3 of Senen market.

There were no fatalities in the incident.

About 450 kiosks, most owned by food vendors, billboard makers and tailors, were closed on Sunday because the fire damaged some of the market's electric circuits.

A number of vendors came to the market on Sunday morning to clean up their kiosks, which were drenched by firefighters putting out the blaze.

"I'll open my kiosk as soon as the lights come back on. I have to continue my business to feed my children. Thank God the fire didn't reach my kiosk," said Saimah, a food vendor who has been running her business for 10 years.

Hitler Sitorus, the Senen market chief, said the fire began at about 12:30 a.m. in one of the six kiosks near the stairs on the second floor.

"One of my security guards quickly noticed the fire and called the firefighters. The fire was put out within two hours," Hitler said, adding that the cause of the fire had not been determined but it could have been the result of a short circuit.

The fire on Sunday was the second to take place in the market, the first being in 1995 when 50 kiosks were destroyed.

Vendors on the first floor of the market apparently were not disturbed by the incident. They opened their kiosks as usual to customers, who crowded the market despite the early morning fire. Outside the market, hundreds of sidewalk vendors were busy selling second-hand goods.

Visitors were not even aware that hours earlier a fire had taken place on the second floor of the market.

"I didn't know about it. I thought it was muddy because of the rain," said one visitor, Yuswita, outside the market building.

Meanwhile, dozens of vendors gathered in the remains of the Taman Puring market, as the considered rebuilding their kiosks.

"Some vendors are insisting on reopening their kiosks, but some others have said they don't have the money. But we still have to discuss it with the administration first," said Ali Sadeli, the head of the market's traders association.

He said the vendors would run their business at a nearby location until they reached an agreement with the administration.