A Punk Antiques Seller in Puring Market Park Confesses: Burned Goods Cause Tens of Millions in Losses

JAKARTA – Amidst the blackened ruins of the market and the lingering smell of smoke, Ebeat (40) stood gazing at the remains of the stall where he had depended for a living. The seller of vintage cassettes and punk t-shirts at Taman Puring Market, South Jakarta, couldn't hide his sadness. The merchandise he had accumulated over the years had now been consumed by fire.

"Yes, it's quite a loss, around IDR 30-40 million," Ebeat told ANTARA, Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

Ebeat, who was well-known among antique hunters and the punk community, lost everything he owned, including his collection of vintage cassettes, band t-shirts, and the street-related accessories that once characterized his stall.

Although his daily income was sometimes only IDR 2 million from direct and online sales, for Ebeat, it was enough to support his family.

But everything was gone overnight. The fire, which broke out on Monday, July 29, occurred after the market had closed at 5:00 p.m. WIB. He had heard that the fire originated from a closed secondhand clothing stall.

"The fire started here, at the closed kiosk. It started from the clothing store, the secondhand clothes store. The fire only started there," he said, pointing to the charred ruins.

More than 550 stalls at the market were destroyed in the fire, which consumed approximately 1,500 square meters of the building. There were no casualties, but total losses are estimated at IDR 30 billion.

Ebeat, who is familiar with the ups and downs of street life, chose to resign himself to this tragedy.

"What else can we do? It's already happened. We've resigned ourselves to it," he said quietly.

He still hopes for the government, at least for some form of assistance or policy that can help him start over.

Meanwhile, the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency deployed 35 fire trucks and 118 personnel, along with water support from Taman Langsat to extinguish the fire. In addition to burning kiosks and merchandise, the fire also resulted in the transfer of four detainees from the Kebayoran Baru Police Station to the South Jakarta Metro Police Station for safety reasons.

Taman Puring Market itself covers an area of approximately 2,000 square meters, with the building itself occupying 1,500 square meters. Now, the market, known as a haven for rare goods and secondhand clothing, has been reduced to a sea of rubble.

For small traders like Ebeat, this tragedy is not just the loss of goods, but also the loss of a place to stand. A living space that had witnessed his struggles is now just a memory.