Small fire in Pasaraya

Small fire in Pasaraya

JAKARTA (JP): A small fire occurred at the Pasaraya shopping
center in Blok M yesterday, prompting many customers to run out
of the building in panic.

Pasaraya's general manager of promotions, Rae Sita Supit, said
the fire was caused by the burning of the polyurethane layer on
part of the sixth floor's roof.

"The layer functions as the shield and sound absorber. It has
become very parched during this dry season and finally burnt
without our consent," Rae said.

She said that the fire burned 35 square meters, or almost half
of the whole roof of the sixth floor. Pasaraya officials put it
out in ten minutes with fire extinguishers.

The thick black smoke and the presence of six fire engines and
four ambulances, however, caused passersby to think that a big
fire had taken place, only twelve days after the last such
incident, Rae said.

"The financial losses, I think, will not be that big. The
(damaged layer of the) roof just needs replacing," she said.

Another fire gutted the Arema Makmur mini market on Jl. Raya
Bekasi, West Java, yesterday and caused estimated losses of
around Rp 500 million (US$171,000).

Six fire engines were deployed to put out the fire which
started at around 3:30 a.m. and lasted for almost three hours. No
casualties were reported.

The police are still investigating the cause of the fire which
has gutted the 300-square-meter store. (cst)