BPK Member Haerul Saleh Killed in House Fire, Reportedly Shouted for Help

Witnesses stated that Haerul Saleh, Member IV of the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia, who became a fatality, shouted during the fire at his residence on Jalan TB Simatupang No 3, RT03/RW02, Tanjung Barat, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta. “The gentleman shouted, shouted ‘fire’. We went back up and immediately informed the local residents who called the fire department,” said a witness named Arpen to journalists in Jakarta on Friday. Arpen, who is also the caretaker of the victim’s house, said the affected area was the office on the fourth floor of the building. At the time, the victim was working with a colleague in the office. “There were indeed people there. The gentleman and his colleague were working on something,” he said. When checking the upper floor, Arpen only then realised the victim was still inside the room. He claimed not to know the exact cause of the fire yet. “We went up, and it turned out the gentleman was still inside,” he said. Based on information from the scene, the police will conduct a crime scene investigation (TKP) on Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman reported that BPK RI Member IV Haerul Saleh passed away following a fire at his home on Friday morning. The South Jakarta Fire and Rescue Sub-Department (Gulkarmat Jaksel) stated that one fatality occurred in the fire at Jalan TB Simatupang No 3, RT03/RW02, Tanjung Barat, Jagakarsa. “The fatality named KS (49) has been handled by the officers,” said Head of South Jakarta Gulkarmat Sub-Department Asril Rizal. Asril said the body has been transported by ambulance to Pasar Minggu Hospital for further handling. Initially, officers received information from the local RT who saw black smoke billowing from the third floor of the house. “The fire is suspected to have originated from remnants of thinner from house renovations,” he said. The RT then immediately contacted the South Jakarta Gulkarmat officers for assistance. South Jakarta Gulkarmat personnel extinguished the fire at 08:07 WIB and completed operations at 08:46 WIB. To date, they are still assessing the losses from the 5x10 square metre area.