Most discotheques in Jakarta firetraps

Most discotheques in Jakarta firetraps

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

About 75 percent of some 600 entertainment centers here are prone
to fire, head of the city's fire department, Johnny Pangaribuan,
disclosed here on Wednesday.

"Most of the amusement centers do not have adequate fire
extinguishers and fire escapes," Pangaribuan said during a
hearing with city councillors.

Pangaribuan said his office had observed some 600
entertainment centers in Jakarta, among them discotheques, movie
theaters and pubs, since July last year.

"Most of the entertainment centers which are prone to fire are
discotheques in West Jakarta," he said.

The fire department has sent these discotheques strong
warnings, he said, adding that his office would ask the police to
take stern measures against them if they failed to equip their
buildings with fire extinguishers and install fire escapes.

Pangaribuan also disclosed that 40 percent of the 200 high-
rise buildings, including government buildings, in Jakarta also
do not have adequate fire extinguishers and fire hydrants. "Some
of the buildings have fire extinguishers and fire hydrants, but
their management has not maintained them properly," he said.

Jakarta has some 900 fire hydrants, 152 of which are in bad
condition. The figure is far lower than the 20,000 fire hydrants
needed by the city. The fire department, having pointed out the
problem, is now hoping for a Rp 3 billion (US$333,000) annual
windfall from the city budget to build 100 new hydrants annually.

Fire razed two areas in Jakarta last Wednesday. The fire that
engulfed hundreds of textile kiosks at the Tanah Abang market in
Central Jakarta, the largest textile market in Southeast Asia,
occurred a few hours after fire burned dozens of houses in Mangga
Besar, West Jakarta.