Battery blast sparks deadly fire in Jakarta; at least 20 killed, search for survivors continues

Jakarta: In a shocking incident, at least 20 people lost their lives after a fire broke out in a building on Tuesday in Indonesia's capital, police said.

According to officials, the fire started in the afternoon when a battery on the first floor of a seven-story office building in central Jakarta exploded, and the fire spread to the upper levels.

"As of now, 20 victims have been retrieved, consisting of five men and 15 women," Susatyo Purnomo Condro, the Central Jakarta police chief, told reporters, adding that one of those killed was a pregnant woman.

Susatyo said most of the victims did not seem to suffer from burns and most likely died of asphyxiation. He added that the bodies had been taken to the police hospital for autopsy. Firefighters are still scouring the scene to find more people possibly trapped inside the building, he said.

"We are still collecting data, but for now, we are focusing on identifying the victims who have been found," he said.

Susatyo said that firefighters were focused on cooling the building due to intense heat and thick smoke on several floors.

Deadly fires are not uncommon in Indonesia, where, in 2023, at least 12 people were killed and 39 were injured in eastern Indonesia after an explosion at a nickel-processing plant.