Fire at Pipe Factory in Legok, Tangerang; 15 Fire Engines Deployed

A fire broke out at a pipe factory on Jalan Raya Legok in Tangerang Regency, Banten, on Tuesday afternoon (13 October). A total of 15 fire engines were deployed to the scene.

CNNIndonesia.com observed fierce flames and thick black smoke billowing high into the air. Several buildings in the factory complex appeared to have collapsed in the fire.

Dozens of firefighters were seen working to extinguish the blaze, which had consumed almost the entire factory site.

Traffic on Jalan Raya Legok was also congested. The road was busy with fire engines, ambulances and members of the public trying to pass through.

In response to the congestion, several residents volunteered to help military and police personnel manage traffic and clear access for fire engines.

Andi Lala, commander of the Legok fire station under the Tangerang Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said the fire was first reported at 4.33pm Western Indonesia Time (WIB).

“The fire is actually getting bigger because we are having difficulty finding a water source,” Andi said at the scene.

Andi said 15 fire engines, belonging to both the government and private operators, had been sent to the site. Fire crews were deployed at several points to prevent the flames spreading to nearby buildings.

“The firefighting operation has been spread across several points to prevent the fire spreading to surrounding buildings. In total, we have deployed 15 fire engines,” he said.

Andi said his team had not yet been able to determine the cause of the fire or whether there were any casualties.

“We cannot yet confirm the suspected cause because we still cannot enter the site,” Andi said.

At about 7.37pm, when this report was written, the fire was still burning.