Update electrical wiring in markets: Fire Dept.

JAKARTA (JP): The City Fire Department has urged PD Pasar Jaya, a city-owned market management firm, and the state electricity company, PLN, to immediately improve the installation of electricity at traditional markets to reduce the risk of fire.

Suharso, head of the department, said yesterday that most electricity installations in the markets were outdated and must soon be replaced.

"Worse, many of the stalls have been modified by the users. For instance, kiosks designed for one vendor have been modified to accommodate two," he said.

"Vendors usually just siphon of a power supply for their stalls from electric cables. This kind of action is likely to cause fire, but it is difficult to control", Suharso said.

Therefore, parties responsible for the maintenance and supply of electric power to the markets, such as PD Pasar Jaya and PLN, must tighten their control and supervision, he said.

In a bid to combat the threat of fire in public markets, his department has set up a special action plan to limit the afflicted area should fire break out, Suharso said.

"We are working on the details of general procedures so that we can prevent flames from spreading to nearby areas," he said.

Fire safety in traditional markets is currently very poor. Of some 136 traditional markets in the city, only 10 percent are equipped with fire fighting equipment such as water hydrants and foam sprayers.

Referring to the famous Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta, Suharso pointed out that it is very crowded, has no clear fire exits and has poor fire safety arrangements.

"Imagine if there is a fire ... people tend to get panic and they don't know where to go".

It is not only markets which are at risk, or are guilty of neglecting safety procedures.

"Actually, every site used for mass gatherings such as malls, restaurants, entertainment spots, markets and office buildings are prone to fire."

Many high-rise buildings in Jakarta have changed their design during construction but have not notified the fire department, he said.

"This hinders us. If fire breaks out we can't act quickly because the location of water sprinklers or hydrants has been changed," he complained.

The department has so far discovered that about half of the city's 700 high rise buildings have an inadequate fire safety system.

Suharso also revealed that some buildings, originally designed for residential purposes, but which have been converted to commercial purposes, are ill equipped to deal with fire.

"Some discotheques and bars in this city were originally houses and most definitely do not have fire exits. If fire occurs, it will be a disaster," he added.

Last year, 1,215 fires were recorded in Jakarta, substantially more than the previous high of 1,082 fires in 1982. In 1997, fires claimed the lives of 38 people in Jakarta.

In the first two months of 1998, there have been 109 fires recorded in the city, most of which have caused by careless actions.

Currently, the department has 168 fire engines and 2,554 personnel stationed at 80 fire stations throughout the city.

"This year, we may get some new equipment, but it all depends on the budget," Suharso said. (edt/ind)