Five-kilometre traffic jam on Daan Mogot caused by warehouse fire in Cengkareng

Jakarta (ANTARA) – A five-kilometre traffic jam occurred along Jalan Raya Daan Mogot, West Jakarta, on Tuesday, as roads around the site of a plastic warehouse fire in Kapuk, Cengkareng were closed. Vehicle queues were observed snaking along Jalan Daan Mogot from the Halte Jembatan Baru to Jalan Pangeran Tubagus Angke.

‘Betul sekali. Itu macet karena Jalan Peternakan Raya yang arah Kapuk, yang Kampung Gusti, yang Jembatan Genit itu kan belum bisa dilintasi, karena sampai sekarang kan masih proses pendinginan,’ said AKP Sudarmo, Head of Operational Guidance (KBO) of the West Jakarta Metro Police’s Traffic Unit, when contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The closure of that road cuts off the route normally used by goods transport vehicles. As a result, traffic diverted onto Jalan Daan Mogot, in both directions toward Grogol and Kalideres.

‘Jadi, yang biasanya lintasan kendaraan logistik dari utara, putar lewat Kampung Gusti, putar ke Jembatan Genit terhambat. Akhirnya, ya, lintasannya ke Daan Mogot semua,’ said Sudarmo.

The shift of logistic and private vehicle flow during peak hours has caused the queue to extend to the present.

‘Imbasnya, (mengular) dari Tubagus Angke sampai Cengkareng. Yang dari Kalijodo juga sama itu, sudah sampai depan Yayasan Jabaragung itu,’ Sudarmo said.

‘Sudah ada upaya penguraian dari petugas. Ada dari Unit Lantas Polsek Cengkareng dan Polsek Grogol Petamburan dikerahkan mengatur arus lalin,’ Sudarmo added.

Residents intending to cross Jalan Daan Mogot were urged to seek alternative routes to avoid getting stuck in the congestion.

Meanwhile, the burning building since Monday (18 May) at 14.30 WIB showed still-remaining embers in the interior pile of plastic materials, though the blaze had been localised.

Additionally, the warehouse front yard was flooded with firefighting water and littered with debris from collapsed structures.

Additionally, the roof and walls on the building’s side appeared to have collapsed.

At least 16 fire engines were on standby at the scene.

A bronto skylift was deployed to spray water from above onto the toppled sections and remaining plastic material.

Several times, the fire could be extinguished and the smoke gradually dissipated, but it reignited and produced plumes of black smoke.