Jokowis Furniture Warehouse Set Alight

TEMPO Interactive, Sukoharjo:Two warehouses full of furniture and furniture materials belonging to Jakarta governor candidate, Joko Widodo, were burnt to the ground on Thursday.They warehouses were located in Pabelan, Sukoharjo and leased by PT Rakabu, a furniture company owned by Jokowi.The fire broke out around 12:30 pm. Initially, it burned a warehouse used to store cotton before spreading next door.Five fire engines were deployed to douse the fire. Unfortunately, the flammable goods hampered the firefighters efforts and everything was burnt down.One eyewitness, Suradi, said he did not know the exact cause of the incident. "It happened when the employees were resting," he said at the scene of the furnace.Jokowis brother-in-law who managed the warehouse, Anjas Wijanarko, said that half of the warehouse stored furniture and the other half raw materials. A large shipment was also ready to be shipped to France.Losses due to the fires is estimated to reach Rp400 million. His company has contacted the buyer in France to request an extension for the delivery.He says that the two warehouses do not actually belong to PT Rakabu. "Were only renting them," he said. One of the warehouses is rented by PT Rakabu to a furniture store, while the other is rented by other relatives to store cotton. AHMAD RAFIQ