Five fire engines deployed to extinguish ship fire in Indramayu

The Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) and Fire Department (Damkar) of Indramayu Regency deployed five fire engines to extinguish a fire involving three ships at Karangsong Port, Indramayu, West Java, on Thursday. Head of the Fire Department at the Indramayu Satpol PP and Damkar, Jajat Wibisono, stated that the fire report was received by officers at approximately 1.20 p.m. Western Indonesian Time, after which personnel and fire engines were immediately dispatched to the scene. “We received the report at around 1.20 p.m. Western Indonesian Time, then immediately deployed three fire engines and two units from the district military command to carry out the extinguishing operation,” he said in Indramayu on Thursday. In addition to deploying five fire engines, his team dispatched 11 personnel, consisting of seven from the headquarters and four from the Jatibarang Fire Station. “The extinguishing process was also assisted by Indonesian National Armed Forces personnel, village supervisory non-commissioned officers, and local residents,” he said. He confirmed there were no fatalities in the incident, while the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the police. He explained that speculation regarding the fire being triggered by the refuelling of diesel for the ships could not yet be confirmed as it requires further investigation. The extinguishing process, he said, lasted about an hour until the flames were brought under control and did not spread to other objects in the port area. During the response, officers faced challenges from thick smoke and strong winds that caused the fire to grow rapidly when they first arrived at the scene. He noted that the black smoke from the fire billowed high over the Karangsong coastal area and was visible from various points, drawing residents to the location. As a result of the fire, he said, the decks of three ships were damaged, while piles of fishing nets as well as vehicles and food stalls nearby also caught fire. He stated that the total losses from the fire are still being assessed, while the police are continuing to process the crime scene and examine several witnesses to determine the cause of the fire. “The cause of the fire is still unknown and is being investigated by the authorities,” he said.