Fire Hits Seven-Story Building in Indonesia, Leaving 20 Dead

A fire broke out today in a seven-story building in the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, leaving at least 20 people dead. The fire started on the first floor of the building after a battery exploded. Susatyo Purnomo Condro, chief of the Central Jakarta police, told the press that the accident started around 12 p.m. local time and spread to other pavilions. The building is commercial, according to the police. It houses the office of Terra Drone Indonesia, a company that provides drones for aerial survey activities for clients in the mining and agriculture sectors. Some employees were having lunch in the building at the time, while others had already left the office and were not affected. So far, the death toll has reached 20. According to authorities, there were five men and 15 women among the victims. “Right now, we are still focused on evacuating the victims and dealing with the aftermath of the fire,” said Condro.