SEREMBAN: It was business as usual at the Seremban main market here, less than 24 hours after the market caught fire here, last night.
About 90 per cent of the premises’ first floor was destroyed, affecting about 197 traders involving food, florists, fruit and clothing stalls.
The Seremban main market, which is known to locals as Pasar Besar Seremban, is one of the town's landmark and was built in 1975.
Checks conducted at the market found that traders on the ground floor who sell fish, chicken, meat, vegetables, and fruits as well as retail stores were operating although they had to rely on candles as a source of light as the electricity supply had been cut off due to the incident.
State Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis confirmed that the two-storey building is still safe and can operate as usual once the monitoring operation was fully completed.
However, the department will continue to monitor the condition of the building today, to ensure the traders’ safety.
“Only about 10 stores on the first floor could be saved from the fire. However, all stores on the ground floor weren’t affected,” he said.
“We have also allowed all traders to go inside their stores at 1pm today, to collect items which were not destroyed by the fire,” he said when met at the market here this morning.
Norazam said so far the cause of the incident is still being investigated. The department is also using two dogs from the Detection Unit (K-9) department to help identify traces and elements of foul play at the location.
Meanwhile, MCA Youth chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon said a discussion with the market trader’s association has been conducted to find the best way to help the victims.
He said, among the measures identified is to provide zero-interest loans through Koperasi Jayadiri Malaysia Bhd.
“We are still in the discussion process and we also planned to relocate the victims to operate their business temporarily at the parking lot.
“In addition, a dialogue session with traders will be conducted today to hear their proposal before it can be brought to the special meeting of the Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) over this tragedy,” he said when met at the scene.