Fire in Tambora and Kebon Kosong: Jakarta DPRD Urges Provincial Government to Move Beyond Emergency Response
A series of recent fires has destroyed at least 27 houses in the Krendang area of Tambora, West Jakarta, and 304 houses in the Kebon Kosong settlement, Central Jakarta. These disasters have impacted 115 families in West Jakarta and 354 families in Central Jakarta, highlighting the inadequate protection for residents living in high-density settlements.
Achmad Yani, a member of Commission A of the Jakarta DPRD, asserted that the Jakarta Provincial Government must not only appear when fires occur. He argued that post-fire management must be accompanied by a serious evaluation of prevention systems, which have failed to reduce the high frequency of fire incidents in the capital.
“I express my deep concern and condolences for the fire tragedy,” Yani said on Tuesday. He noted that fires in densely populated areas continue to recur because the underlying issues are never truly resolved. Problems such as non-standard electrical installations, narrow residential access roads, and a lack of fire mitigation facilities remain classic, recurring issues every year.
“This incident serves as a reminder that Jakarta’s high-density residential areas still face a high risk of fire. Fundamental issues, such as substandard electrical wiring and minimal mitigation, have not been optimally addressed,” he added.
The PKS politician urged the Jakarta Provincial Government not to stop at the distribution of emergency aid. He stated that the government must ensure a comprehensive recovery process for residents, ranging from basic needs to the restoration of homes and the replacement of administrative documents lost in the fires.
“I request that the Jakarta Provincial Government acts swiftly and does not focus solely on emergency handling, but also ensures that the recovery of the victims’ lives is carried out thoroughly and humanely,” he emphasised.
Yani highlighted that fire victims often have to endure days or even weeks in shelters due to a lack of certainty regarding housing assistance or home repairs. Consequently, he urged the Provincial Government to immediately prepare schemes for renovation assistance and decent temporary housing.
Furthermore, Yani viewed the Tambora fire as an alarm for the Provincial Government to strengthen fire prevention and response systems in densely populated areas. He highlighted the importance of increasing the number of fire stations, improving access for fire engines, and forming community-based fire volunteer groups.
“This event demonstrates the importance of adding more fire station points, ensuring access for fire trucks, and training fire volunteers in dense neighbourhoods so that initial handling can be performed more quickly by residents,” he said.
Yani argued that without more aggressive prevention measures, fires will continue to be recurring disasters that claim victims and drain regional budgets. Therefore, the Jakarta DPRD pledged to oversee the evaluation and strengthening of fire prevention budgets to ensure they are not merely reactive.
“We in the Jakarta DPRD will push for oversight and budgeting to ensure that fire victim handling does not stop at momentary aid, but truly provides a sense of security and social protection for the community,” he concluded.