Two Market Fires In Jakarta Ahead Of Ramadan Becomes A Warning For Anies Baswedan To Prevent Other Fires

Residents observe burnt debris in Block C of Pasar Inpres Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, Tuesday, April 13 (Dewa Wiguna/Antara)

JAKARTA - Two fires in Jakarta some time ago became a heavy blow to merchants whose stalls were engulfed in flames.

On April 8, Lontar Market or Kambing Market, Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta caught fire and burned 174 stalls. The loss reached IDR 1 billion. Then, on April 12, a fire engulfed 389 stalls of Inpres Market, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta with losses reaching IDR 2 billion.

The hope of increasing economic benefits for the high needs of citizens who buy food when entering the month of Ramadan, for market merchants whose kiosks are on fire, seems to be fading.

"We know that entering the month of Ramadan is a harvest month for the market merchants. This grief is enormous. Merchants are very hard hit because we are facing a lot of buyers, it turns out that the market is on fire", said chairman of the Indonesian Market Traders Association Abdullah Mansuri on Tuesday, April 13.

Chairman of Regional Board (DPW) of Indonesian Market Traders Association (IKAPPI) DKI Jakarta Miftahudin called the events of these two market fires a warning for Governor Anies Baswedan to make preventive efforts so that fires no longer hit markets in the capital.

Miftahudin asked the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta to provide a light fire extinguisher (APAR) so that merchants could handle the fire early while waiting for the handling of firefighters to arrive.

"We know that the fire in Ramadan is a heavy blow for market merchants. If it is not well anticipated, it will cause considerable losses", he said.

As a follow-up, Miftahudin encouraged groups of traders to do monitor around in every afternoon and evening after the market closed, as well as conducting consoles to merchants in each block.

"The IKAPPI has also encouraged that the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta takes over efforts to accelerate the construction of shelters if it is too late then merchants will lose because this is the month of the harvest of traders so we hope that the Provincial Government is faster and responsive in handling efforts", said Miftahudin.