TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Traffic congestion in Tanah Abang stalls fire trucks
Change Size
Fire trucks are parked in the garage of Tanah Abang Fire Station, Central Jakarta. Firefighters at the station complain that traffic jams in the area often slow them down and prevent them from promptly reaching the scene of a fire. (kompas.com/Ardito Ramadhan D)
Severe traffic congestion in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, often stalls fire trucks that need to rush to the scene of a fire.
"As soon as we receive news of a fire, we’ll immediately go to the scene,” Karni from the Tanah Abang Fire Station told kompas.com on Tuesday. “But we’ll get stuck in the traffic and we never know when we can finally move forward.”
The fire station is located at the center of Tanah Abang, next to Blok F of Tanah Abang Market.
For example, it can take up to one hour to get to Jl. Jatibaru Raya, which is less than 1 kilometer away from the station, Karni said.
Ideally, firefighters from the nearest station should arrive at a fire within eight minutes after receiving the news, he explained.
"Even on holidays like Sunday, the road is still crowded,” Karni said. “It takes half an hour on average for us to get to a fire.”
The firefighters from Tanah Abang Fire Station often receive help from Pak ogah (voluntary parking attendants), who stop vehicles at U-turns to make way for the fire truck. (stu)
