JAKARTA (JP): A fire swept through the southern section of the Pondok Indah Mall, a posh shopping center in South Jakarta early in the morning yesterday.

No casualties were reported in the blaze, which took 17 fire engines, 130 firemen and dozens of security officers more than eight hours to extinguish.

E. Sumarna, the chief of South Jakarta fire department, told reporters that the fire may have started in Nelayan Village restaurant on the second floor of the building.

"Efforts to put out the fire were hampered by the billowing heavy smoke and the fact that the building is enclosed in glass even though we had abundant water because the swimming pool is located next door," he said, adding that he sent fire engines to the scene soon after he received the report about the fire at 3:45 a.m.

The three-story building, which is owned by PT Metropolitan Kencana whose shareholders include business tycoons Ciputra, Sudwikatmono and Anthony Salim, is made of a glass-enclosed walls with a thick plastic material covering the roof.

Police said they were still investigating the cause of the blaze.

"The investigation is expected to be completed today," said a police officer, adding that he hoped that retailers would be able to open their outlets again tomorrow.

A crowd of outlet owners and employees had waited in the parking lot since morning before being permitted by security and the mall management to check on their belongings in the afternoon.

There are about 200 tenants, consisting of retailers, restaurants, book stores and banks, in the shopping center.

The fire razed three outlets; the Nelayan Village seafood restaurant, the Mothercare children's store and the Cahaya department store. All are located on the second floor.

"We're still counting the financial losses," Ratna Dewi Gunadi, an executive of PT Metropolitan Kencana told The Jakarta Post.

Pondok Indah Mall was built in 1991.

Police said that they questioned two security guards on duty at the time, identified as Darminto and Sutarno, in connection with the blaze but they were released several hours later after police found no indication that the two men had done anything wrong.

According to staff of the shopping center, the Nelayan Village restaurant always closed at 10 p.m. everyday, except Saturdays.

"I think the restaurant was also closed at the same time last night," said a staff, who refused to be named.

Unfortunately, none of the restaurant personnel were able to reach to comment. (bsr/09)