Traders occupy major road after market fire

The Jakarta Post Jakarta

Hundreds of traders occupied sections of Jl. Wonokromo in the center of Surabaya after fire razed their kiosks in a nearby traditional market on Sunday.

The traders erected makeshift kiosks, causing traffic congestion. Despite grumbles from motorists, police opted to wait and see before taking any measures.

Antara reported that the traders were selling whatever they could save from the fire, which began around 5 a.m.

"We have to keep running our businesses, otherwise we would not be able to feed our children and wives," one of the traders said.

Chief of Surabaya Police Sr. Supt. Ito Sumardi said he understood the traders had to survive, but he did not expect them to occupy the road.

He lamented the failure of the market owners, the mayoralty public order agency and the mayoralty administration to swiftly resettle traders.

"I have contacted the deputy mayor to ask him to resolve the matter immediately, but I have not been able to reach him," Ito said.

Spokesman for the market operator Putut Subagio said the mayoralty administration had planned to move the traders to a plot belonging to the operator of Mangga Dua shopping complex, near the office of state oil company Pertamina.

No casualties were reported during the market blaze, but most of the merchandise, including electronic goods, gold jewelry, meat and clothing, could not be saved as the fire spread quickly.

The sellers complained about the late arrival of the fire brigade, who only managed to douse the raging fire after five hours, once the two-story building had already been gutted.

A number of traders linked the fire to a plan by the mayoralty administration to build a shopping center on the land where the traditional market stood.

But police and other officials denied the speculation.

Ito Sumardi told the traders not to speculate over the incident, saying they should await the result of a police investigation.

Deputy mayor Bambang Dwi Hartono also denied the accusation, although he admitted that an investor from Singapore had expressed interest in constructing a shopping center at the location.