Fire at Cipondoh Sandal Factory in Tangerang Still Not Extinguished by Monday Afternoon
A massive fire that struck a sandal factory owned by PT Murni Karetindo Lestari (King Stone) on Jalan KH Agus Salim, Poris Plawad Urban Village, Cipondoh District, Tangerang City, Banten, had not been fully extinguished by Monday (22/6) evening. The fire was first spotted on Sunday (21/6) at around 10.45 p.m. Western Indonesia Time.
Based on observations at the scene, thick black smoke was still billowing high and blanketing residential areas surrounding the factory. Firefighters together with local residents continued to struggle to tame the flames using various equipment, from fire hoses to manual efforts with buckets.
Head of the Tangerang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Mahdiar, said that the large amount of solid raw materials such as rubber was the main obstacle in the extinguishing process. The most difficult hotspots are located at the rear of the factory, which directly borders residential areas.
“In addition to rubber, the factory also contained various chemical liquids supporting production that make the fire difficult to control,” Mahdiar stated at the scene.
To prevent the fire from spreading to residents’ homes, officers carried out intensive spraying and cooling at vulnerable points. This measure was taken considering the many piles of flammable materials that could potentially reignite the fire.
“We continue cooling efforts to ensure there is no spread of the fire, especially in areas bordering residential settlements,” Mahdiar stressed.
As of now, the exact cause of the fire and the total material losses cannot yet be confirmed. Authorities are still focusing on handling the fire before conducting further investigations.
As a precautionary measure against health impacts from the thick smoke, officials from Tanah Tinggi Urban Village together with the military and police have distributed masks to nearby residents. Additionally, several evacuation posts have been established in safe locations not far from the affected settlements.
In this firefighting operation, the Tangerang City BPBD deployed at least 95 personnel supported by 29 fire engines. Officers remain on standby at the location to ensure the fire is completely extinguished.