Other Senen blocks used to house fire victims

JAKARTA (JP): Several locations within other blocks of the Senen shopping center area have been designed for makeshift kiosks for traders whose shops were burned in last weekend's fire, Central Jakarta Mayor Abdul Kahfi said yesterday.

Some locations approved by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja include a youth sport and recreation center, some parts of block III and its parking lot, the mayor said after meeting other officials and Senen management representatives.

Kahfi said the youth center could accommodate 400 kiosks, the parking lot 160 kiosks, and block III 200 kiosks.

He said the relocation project, financed by PT Jaya Real Property which operated the burnt blocks IV and V, would start this week and would be completed in three to four weeks.

After the meeting, the Governor said fire victims would be relocated to areas near their destroyed shops for the convenience of traders and their customers.

"We do not want the traders to lose their customers because of an unfavorable location," he said.

He said other aspects such as traffic flow and parking places in Senen were considered before he made his decision.

The makeshift kiosks might also be in block V which was only partly destroyed by the fire, he said.

He said private building consultants Wiratman and Associates had been appointed to check whether the building was fit for accommodating fire victims.

"The building may look strong enough, but the high temperatures during the fire might have affected its structure," he said.

Governor Surjadi called on PT Jaya Real Property to completely change the new building's design.

The new design should reduce the use of barred rolling doors even though they give shop owners protection from burglars, he said.

Surjadi was referring to the many rolling doors that hampered emergency rescue efforts during the fire.

Surjadi said city police were conducting an investigation into the fire's cause.

"I hope the result of the investigation can help the city to prevent similar incidents from happening at other markets," he said. (02)