Legislator Evaluates Fire That Killed Elderly Man in Palmerah, West Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Commission B member of the DKI Jakarta Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Jupiter, has outlined three key evaluations following a fire that killed an elderly man named Suratman (81) in RT 15 RW 08, Palmerah, West Jakarta. Jupiter stressed that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government must have independent hydrants as a firefighting system, especially in densely populated areas. “The governor must budget for this, and we fully support all the governor’s policies, especially those concerning the safety and welfare of the community. Independent hydrants are very important,” Jupiter said during a visit to the fire location in West Jakarta on Monday. He also urged the DKI Provincial Government to follow up on the procurement of light fire extinguishers (APAR) in every area, as an initial extinguishing instrument before firefighters arrive at the scene. “Thirdly, the formation of Redkar (Fire Volunteer) units is mandatory in every RW. I think, in densely populated areas, these Redkar units function as first-stage disaster management,” Jupiter stated. According to him, elements of the community who understand firefighting techniques need to be present in every RW. “Before the fire grows and while waiting for the fire engine to arrive, which certainly takes travel time, Redkar can move quickly. We cannot predict traffic conditions in Jakarta, whether morning, noon, or evening. Time constraints will always exist,” Jupiter said. He emphasised that these three points need to be considered and their implementation checked to ensure residents’ safety when a fire occurs. “So that in future responses, there will be no more severe fires that claim lives,” Jupiter concluded. Previously, an 81-year-old man died in a house fire in RT 15/RW 08, Palmerah, West Jakarta. It is suspected he had lit a candle before the tragic incident occurred on Sunday evening (5/7). According to the head of RT 15/RW 08, Palmerah, West Jakarta, Ali Hamzah, the candle was the suspected trigger of the fire. “He had been looking for a candle and cable since the afternoon. I do not know what he intended to make. But around 6 p.m., there was already smoke inside the victim’s house. It turned out he had used the candle. The candle was lit, and coincidentally the table was covered with a cloth. So, the candle fell, ignited, and produced smoke,” Ali told reporters at the scene on Monday afternoon. Ali added that the fire quickly spread to other buildings because most of the structures in the area were made of wood. The flames also spread to an electricity pole near the residential area. He admitted to breaking down the door of the victim’s house because he suspected someone was still inside. However, his search yielded no results. The victim was later found around 9 p.m. local time near the bathroom, buried under fire debris. The body was discovered by Public Facilities and Infrastructure Handling (PPSU) officers together with police using torches. “At that time, the debris was already piled high. Then the PPSU and police used lights, and the victim was visible near the bathroom,” Ali revealed. In the incident, a total of six buildings were affected by the fire, impacting seven families.