Eight Police Dormitory Units Behind Jambi Regional Police Headquarters Destroyed by Fire

As many as eight police dormitory units located directly behind the Jambi Regional Police Headquarters, in the The Hok area of Tambak Sari Urban Village, South Jambi District, Jambi City, were completely destroyed by fire on Thursday afternoon (30/7).

Although there were no fatalities in the incident, the raging flames caused panic among police personnel on duty at the Jambi Regional Police Headquarters. Officers worked hard to evacuate dozens of four-wheeled vehicles and motorcycles parked in the side yard at the rear, an area close to the scene of the fire.

Strong gusts of wind caused the flames to grow rapidly and spread to the eight permanently constructed dormitory units. In addition, the thick black smoke made it difficult for residents and occupants to save their valuables from inside the houses.

The Director of General Criminal Investigation at the Jambi Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Jimmy Christian Samma, confirmed that all dormitory occupants were safe. At the time of the incident, most of the officers were on duty.

“There were no fatalities or injuries. Eight houses were burned. All occupants survived because they were all at work. We are currently still conducting data collection and an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire,” Jimmy said at the scene on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Jambi City Fire and Rescue Service, Mustari, explained that his office received a report of the fire at around 14:00 Western Indonesia Time. As many as 60 personnel and 13 fire engines were deployed to the location to bring the blaze under control.

“When we arrived at the scene, the fire was already large due to the influence of strong winds. We immediately provided protection to several buildings around the dormitory to prevent the fire from spreading further,” Mustari explained.

Given that the fire location was filled with dense smoke, Mustari added that firefighters were required to use complete personal protective equipment, including Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). The equipment was used so that officers could continue to breathe and have sufficient visibility when extinguishing the fire at the central point of the flames.