15 Residents Evacuated as Jatiwaringin Landfill Fire Spreads in Tangerang

The Tangerang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) reported that at least 15 residents of Tanjakan Mekar Village, Rajeg District, were evacuated to safety on Tuesday afternoon due to the impact of thick smoke from a fire at the Jatiwaringin landfill. The evacuees, primarily pregnant women and children, were moved to the local village office.

BPBD Tangerang Head Achmad Taufik stated that the evacuation was a precautionary measure to protect residents from the hazardous smoke. He noted that the disaster situation remains at Alert Level I, with several hotspots still burning and firefighting efforts ongoing. ‘We are trying to extinguish the fire to prevent it from spreading further. Although the hotspots are difficult to reach, the priority is to stop it from expanding to surrounding areas,’ Taufik said.

As of 9:25 PM local time, the fire had engulfed an area of approximately four to five hectares, according to data from the Environmental Agency. Taufik explained that his team is facing significant technical challenges in extinguishing the blaze due to the mountainous piles of waste, which make it difficult for vehicles to approach and for personnel to navigate through the thick smoke.

To accelerate the response, the BPBD has requested assistance from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), specifically seeking the deployment of a helicopter for water bombing operations. While awaiting this support, 10 fire engines and 45 personnel remain on site working to control the flames. Taufik added that water sources are relatively accessible and safe, although the access roads are narrow.