Jakarta office building fire kills at least 20 people
A fire in a seven-story office building in Indonesia’s capital killed at least 20 people on Tuesday, police said.
Authorities informed that the fire began in the afternoon after a battery exploded on the first floor of the building in central Jakarta, causing flames to spread rapidly to the upper levels, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
“As of now, 20 victims have been retrieved, consisting of five men and 15 women,” Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro told reporters, noting that one of the victims was a pregnant woman.
He explained that most victims did not appear to suffer burns and likely died from asphyxiation. The bodies have been taken to the police hospital for autopsy.
Firefighters continue to search the site for people who may still be trapped inside. “We are still collecting data, but for now, we are focusing on identifying the victims who have been found,” Susatyo said.
He added that crews are concentrating on cooling the building due to intense heat and dense smoke still present on several floors.
Deadly fires are frequent in Indonesia. In 2023, at least 12 people were killed and 39 injured in eastern Indonesia after an explosion at a nickel-processing plant.
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