Illegal Waste Dump in North Jakarta's Kelapa Gading Burns for Two Days, Temporarily Extinguished Then Smoking Again

JAKARTA - A fire involving a pile of rubbish in Pegangsaan Dua, Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, lasted for two days from early Thursday (23/4/2026) until Friday (24/4/2026). The flames were temporarily extinguished on Thursday night, but smoke reappeared a few hours later. Pegangsaan Dua village head Sarmudi stated that when the fire broke out, the village office immediately coordinated with the fire brigade team. According to Sarmudi, the re-emergence of the fire is suspected to have come from embers still remaining under the rubbish pile. He could not yet confirm the initial cause of the fire. However, there is a suspicion that the fire originated from small-scale rubbish burning activities that then spread. “Initially, the local residents didn’t know why the fire started, but it’s possible that someone was burning rubbish on a small scale, and it ended up spreading to the rubbish here,” he explained. Sarmudi emphasised that the location is not an official waste disposal site. Regarding the land status, Sarmudi does not yet know who owns it because several parties have claimed it. The village office has issued warnings to the managers of the waste site since 2025, and sanctions for environmental pollution violations have also been imposed by the Sub-Directorate of Environment. He hopes that the Environment Department can be firmer and promptly close the location so it is no longer used as a waste disposal site. “Of course, I am also a resident of Pegangsaan Dua, so naturally, the hope is that this waste disposal site can be closed,” said Sarmudi.