REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SOLO -- A fire ravaged 198 kiosks at Karangpandan market in Karanganyar district, Central Java, early Wednesday.

"Based on the preliminary investigation, it seemed the fire was caused by a short circuit," head of the Karangpandan market, Sarno, told reporters on the scene of the incident on Wednesday.

He said the police is investigating to find out the exact cause of the fire which broke out at around 01.40 a.m. local time.

The fire inflicted some Rp400 million in material losses, he said.

Food seller Reso Simin, who was the first person to spot the fire, shouted for help to put out the blaze.

Tens of residents later came to the scene to extinguish the fire, using all available means. However, the fire continued to spread.

The fire could be put out only after fire trucks from the Karanganyar district fire department came.

It took nearly two hours for fire fighters to extinguish the fire.

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