Jakarta. A massive fire engulfed Taman Puring Market in South Jakarta on Monday night, destroying approximately 500 stalls in one of the city’s most notorious hubs for counterfeit sneakers and second-hand electronics.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung on Tuesday pledged to restore the damaged market and accelerate post-disaster recovery efforts. “The stalls were tightly packed and quite small. I’ve visited the site myself, and thankfully, there were no casualties,” he said on Tuesday.

Taman Puring has long been known as a hub for bargain hunters, offering knockoff versions of branded footwear and apparel. Despite its underground reputation, the market remains a vital part of the local informal economy.

“That market belongs to the people. It's still a very active economic hub. So, of course, we will help with the restoration of its facilities,” he asserted.

The incident has further reinforced the Jakarta Provincial Government’s commitment to its “One Fire Extinguisher per Neighborhood" initiative. According to Pramono, the fire spread rapidly due to the tightly packed and enclosed structure of the kiosks.

“Fire extinguishers were available, but in situations like that, they’re simply not enough. The stalls were crammed together, and the fire spread incredibly fast. Prevention is extremely important,” he said.

A day after the fire, vendors returned to the site to search through the remains of their stalls. Since Tuesday morning, vendors were seen arriving at the scorched marketplace, sifting through the rubble. Though the hope of recovering anything sellable was slim, they continued digging, clinging to the chance that something could still be salvaged.

Edin, 48, an electronics vendor, said his stall was completely destroyed, with nothing left but a pile of charred metal and melted cables.

“All the merchandise is gone, just the burnt remains of what used to be my stall,” he said quietly.

Although some items were saved, most were rendered unusable. Edin estimated his losses at around Rp 100 million ($6,097) -- a devastating amount for a small vendor.

In addition to losing their inventory, many vendors now have no place to sell. Edin and his fellow traders are placing their hopes on the government. They are requesting relocation for their businesses and financial assistance to get back on their feet.

“I hope the government pays attention to our situation,” Edin said.

As of now, the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency is still collecting data. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown and is currently under investigation.

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