Fire in Kebon Kelapa, Gambir Successfully Contained, 114 Homes Affected
The Central Jakarta Fire and Rescue Service (Sudin Gulkarmat) successfully contained a major fire that struck a densely populated settlement on Jalan Batu Ceper, Kebon Kelapa Village, Gambir District, on Monday afternoon (31/8). A total of 114 homes were reported affected by the incident.
Head of Central Jakarta Sudin Gulkarmat, Syarifudin, stated that personnel are currently carrying out cooling operations. This step was taken after the rapidly spreading fire in the densely populated area was successfully blocked to prevent it from spreading to other buildings.
“The latest update for the fire in Gambir District is that it has been contained, and only cooling remains,” said Syarifudin at the scene on Monday (31/8).
In the firefighting effort, 29 fire engines with a strength of 135 personnel were deployed to the location. Additional units were deployed after officers detected the fire spreading towards an empty building near the residential area.
Syarifudin explained that officers faced technical obstacles in the field, ranging from narrow road access to distant water sources. These conditions forced officers to lay hoses over a considerable distance to reach the seat of the fire. In addition, the electricity supply in the affected area was deliberately cut off to ensure the safety of personnel.
Deputy Chief of Central Jakarta Metro Police, AKBP Mirzal, confirmed that there have been no reports of casualties so far. The police, together with the TNI and the community, have assisted in securing the area by deploying around 100 police personnel.
Based on preliminary data, the fire affected 310 heads of families or approximately 880 people. The local government, together with the disaster response team, is now preparing evacuation posts and registering residents, coordinated through the sub-district and village authorities.
Regarding the exact cause of the fire, a forensic identification team has been placed on standby at the location. A thorough examination and sweep will only be carried out after the cooling process by firefighters is declared fully complete.