Genuk traditional market burns down, traders wiped out

The Jakarta Post, Semarang Fri, March 01 2013,


Genuk traditional market in Semarang burned down on Friday morning, razing 200 kiosks and destroying the businesses of hundreds of traders. Financial losses are expected to run into hundreds of millions of rupiah.

According to witnesses, the fire started in a fashion store and due to high winds it rapidly spread to other kiosks. A witness, Mujiono, said he heard a blast from inside the store prior to the fire.

“I assume that it was the sound of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) canister that exploded inside,” he said.

Firefighters required 10 fire trucks and four hours before the blaze could be brought under control.

Central Java provincial data shows that almost every year a traditional market is gutted by fire. In 2006, Bintoro traditional market in Demak Regency was burned down, which caused losses of Rp 30 billion (US$3.1 million). In 2008, the Kliwon traditional market in Temanggung caught fire, at a cost of Rp22 billion. The biggest fire so far was that in Projo Ambarawa market in 2012, which caused losses amounting to Rp 1 trillion.