House in Koja, North Jakarta, Destroyed by Fire Following Explosion

A house on Jalan Mangga, Tugu Utara Village, Koja District, North Jakarta, was engulfed in flames following a loud explosion, according to the North Jakarta and Thousand Islands Fire and Rescue Service (Gulkarmat).

“Based on statements from the occupants, they heard an explosion and upon checking, the fire had already grown large,” said Gatot Sulaeman, Head of Operations for North Jakarta and Thousand Islands Gulkarmat, in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He explained that as the fire intensified, residents sought help from the fire brigade. Officers received the fire report on Tuesday morning at 5:38 a.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB) and the team immediately proceeded to the location to carry out suppression operations. Firefighters began extinguishing the blaze at 5:43 a.m. WIB and the fire was successfully put out by 6:35 a.m. WIB.

Gulkarmat deployed five fire engines with 25 personnel who battled to extinguish the flames. “Alhamdulillah, the fire was successfully extinguished,” Gatot said.

He noted that the object destroyed by the fire was a residential house that was also used as a business premises for making wooden door and window frames. The total area burned was 70 square metres, with estimated losses reaching Rp200 million. “The initial suspicion, based on witness statements, is that this fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit,” he stated.