On Tuesday, December 9th, a seven-story office building in the Indonesian capital Jakarta caught fire, resulting in at least 22 deaths. Authorities are still searching for other victims.
Jakarta City Police Chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro told the media that at noon on Tuesday, the fire broke out on the first floor and spread to the upper floors.
The blaze has now been extinguished, and the bodies of the victims have been sent to the hospital for identification.
According to Reuters, the seven-story building housed the office of “Terra Drone Indonesia,” a subsidiary of the Japanese company “Terra Drone Corporation,” which primarily provides drone services for aerial surveying activities for clients in industries such as mining and agriculture.
Condro stated that at the time of the incident, some employees of the company were having lunch inside the building, while others were outside for lunch.
Footage aired on Kompas TV showed dozens of firefighters working to evacuate people, with some carrying body bags out of the building. Some employees were seen using a crane to escape from the higher floors.
“The police forensic medical team has arrived at the scene to investigate the cause of the fire,” Condro said.
“Based on the information we have so far, a drone battery caught fire, but the exact cause and origin of the fire are still under investigation,” he added, noting that the police will be questioning the company owners and the building owner.
In a statement, “Terra Drone Corporation” apologized for the stress and inconvenience caused by the fire to the local community and customers and stated that they are investigating the impact of the fire on their operations.
According to the Associated Press, at the scene of the fire, hundreds of rescue personnel and 29 fire trucks were operating. After three hours of intensive firefighting, the blaze was finally extinguished. Rescuers found at least 22 bodies inside the building, including 7 males and 15 females. Among the deceased females was a pregnant woman.
A resident named Intan Puspita told the Associated Press that there was a loud noise when the fire broke out, and workers rushed out. Puspita’s home is located very close to the building that caught fire.