Jakarta: A fire tore through an office building in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, claiming the lives of at least 22 people, including a pregnant woman, according to authorities. The blaze started on the first floor of the building in the Kemayoran neighborhood before quickly spreading to other floors. Thick black smoke filled the sky as flames engulfed the seven-story structure, causing panic among nearby residents and workers. Police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro reported that the fire is believed to have originated from the storage and testing area of a drone company located in the building. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
Emergency response teams, including hundreds of personnel and 29 fire trucks, rushed to the scene to battle the flames and rescue trapped individuals. Witnesses mentioned that the fire began after a battery in the drone company’s storage area sparked. Officials worked tirelessly for three hours to extinguish the fire and recover the bodies of the victims. A survivor named Dimitri suggested that the explosion and fire may have been triggered by a short circuit or thermal failure in the drone battery.
Several workers attempted to escape by moving to the rooftop of the building and calling for help, as reported by Dimitri. Television coverage showed the dramatic evacuation of over a dozen trapped individuals, including women, from the sixth floor using an emergency ladder. Each person had to be lowered one by one from the building, with many struggling to breathe due to the thick smoke. The casualties, including seven men and 15 women, were taken to a police hospital for identification, with families waiting anxiously for news.
The building, operated by PT Terra Drone Indonesia, provided unmanned aerial vehicle technology for diverse industrial sectors like construction, mining, and energy. The fatal incident highlights the importance of strict safety measures in commercial buildings to prevent such tragedies in the future.
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