Fire Engulfs Building in Cikini, Firefighters Suspect Blaze Started on Ground Floor

A fire has broken out in a building in the Cikini area of Central Jakarta. Firefighter officer Subady stated that the blaze appeared to have started on the ground floor. “When we arrived, we saw the fire was initially on the ground floor and then it spread upwards. This is just our preliminary assumption based on a visual assessment. The exact cause will be investigated by the police,” Subady said at the scene on Wednesday. He noted that the ground floor contained easily combustible materials, such as plywood and wood. “It’s just one building. The fire point was actually below, but the smoke rose to the top,” Subady explained. “It is still under construction or renovation, so there are materials like plywood and wood present. In any construction project, there are bound to be flammable items,” he added. The Central Jakarta Fire and Rescue Department command centre reported that the fire involved a building and that firefighting operations were underway. The report was received at 2:45 PM local time, and firefighting operations commenced at 2:52 PM. A total of 70 personnel and 18 fire engines were deployed to the scene. The cause of the fire remains unknown.