JAKARTA (JP): A fire swept through the southern section of the

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)