WOMAN, 56, LOSES LIVELIHOOD IN MARKET BLAZE
Seamstress’s shop among 50 razed in Pasar Dato Keramat fire
FOR 35 years, seamstress Fuziah Suraji has been supporting her family with earnings from her tailoring business at Pasar Dato Keramat here.
But that changed on Wednesday when her shop was among 50 business premises razed in a 5.30pm fire.
The visibly shaken 56-year-old said she could barely watch her shop go up in flames.
“Everything is gone. What am I going to do now?” she said in tears as her daughter tried to console her.
When the fire broke out, Fuziah said she was not at the shop as she had closed for the day.
“It was only when my daughter rushed into the house telling me ‘kedai kat pasar bakar, mak’ (the shop at the market is on fire, mum)’ that I learnt about the incident,” she said, estimating her losses at RM50,000.
Another victim, a food seller who wanted to be known only as Mohamad, said he tried to use a fire extinguisher to put out the flames at a neighbouring shop.
“Several of us were still at the market when the fire broke out. We tried to douse the flames but it was useless.
“The fire spread within minutes,” said the 43-year-old.
Pasar Dato Keramat, popularly known as ‘Pasar Lama Keramat’, in Jalan Datuk Keramat, has been operating for more than 45 years and is one of the city’s oldest markets.
The fire destroyed at least 50 stalls operated by mostly Malays. No lives were lost.
Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department spokesman and Operations Commander Mohd Fahmi Abd Rahim said the fire probably started from a shop on the front row and spread quickly to the surrounding business premises because the partition walls were not made of concrete.
“We brought the fire under control at 6.40pm. The cause of the fire is under investigation,” said Fahmi.
Fifty-eight firefighters from the Keramat, Setapak, Wangsa Maju and Hang Tuah fire and rescue stations were despatched to the scene.
Five Fire Rescue Tender trucks, four Emergency Medical Rescue Service vehicles and two water tankers were involved in the operation.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun said the Pasar Datuk Keramat Hawkers Association’s help centre counter was opened at 10am yesterday to help traders whose business premises were destroyed in the fire.
“Traders have to lodge a report and collect information on what they lost to register at the counter before any assistance is channelled (to them),” said Rina, who is Titiwangsa member of parliament.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s senior political secretary, Datuk Seri Mohd Nardim Awang, presented donations on behalf of the premier to the affected traders. Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa also visited the market area on Wednesday.