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View all search resultsKemayoran blaze kills 22, renews citywide fire safety concerns
According to preliminary police information, the fire is suspected to have been triggered by a drone battery that exploded on the ground floor, although investigators from the National Police’s Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor Bareskrim) are still working to determine the definitive cause.
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Officers from the National Police’s Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor Bareskrim) inspect the Terra Drone Indonesia building damaged by fire, in Central Jakarta, on Dec. 9, 2025. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)
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deadly fire that tore through a seven-story commercial building in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, killing 22 people on Tuesday, has renewed concerns about the capital’s persistent fire-safety shortcomings, with authorities now probing whether negligence or inadequate safety standards contributed to one of the city’s worst fires in recent years.
The blaze erupted shortly after lunchtime inside a shopping complex in Cempaka Baru that housed Terra Drone Indonesia, an aerial survey services company.
According to preliminary police information, the fire is suspected to have been triggered by a drone battery that exploded on the ground floor, although investigators from the National Police’s Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor Bareskrim) are still working to determine the definitive cause.
“The exact source of the fire is still under investigation. We are committed to thoroughly examining this incident,” Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Susatyo Purnomo Condro told reporters, adding that witness testimonies and forensic tests were ongoing.
The flames spread rapidly from the first floor to the upper levels, trapping dozens of employees before firefighters arrived. Witnesses said the fire grew intensely in a matter of minutes.
“The door was closed. When firefighters broke in, the fire was already big and very red,” said Nurhayati, 53, as reported by AFP.
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