Legislator Evaluates Fire That Killed Elderly Man in Palmerah, West Jakarta
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Jupiter, a member of Commission B of the Jakarta DPRD, has presented three evaluation points regarding the fire that claimed the life of an elderly man named Suratman (81) in Palmerah, West Jakarta.
Jupiter emphasised that the Jakarta Provincial Government must provide independent hydrants as a firefighting system, particularly in densely populated areas. “The Governor must budget for this, and we fully support all the Governor’s policies, especially those concerning public safety and welfare. Independent hydrants are extremely important,” Jupiter said during his visit to the fire site in West Jakarta on Monday.
Furthermore, Jupiter requested the Jakarta Provincial Government to follow up on the procurement of Portable Fire Extinguishers (APAR) for every area, to serve as an initial suppression instrument before firefighters arrive on site.
“Thirdly, the formation of Redkar (Fire Volunteers) which must exist in every neighbourhood unit (RW). I believe that in densely populated areas, these volunteers function as disaster management in the early stages,” Jupiter stated. He noted that community elements with technical firefighting knowledge are essential in every RW. “Before the fire grows and while waiting for fire engines to arrive—which inevitably takes time due to travel—Redkar can act quickly. We cannot predict Jakarta’s traffic conditions at any time of day. Time constraints are a certainty,” he added.
Jupiter stressed that these three points must be monitored and implemented to guarantee citizen safety during fires, ensuring that future disasters do not result in fatalities.
Previously, an 81-year-old man died in a house fire in Palmerah, West Jakarta, after allegedly lighting a candle before the tragedy occurred on Sunday (5/7) night. According to the head of the local neighbourhood unit (RT 15/RW 08), Ali Hamzah, the candle is suspected to be the trigger for the blaze.
“He had been looking for candles and cables since the afternoon. We are not sure what for. But around 6:00 PM, smoke was already visible inside the house. It turned out he had used a candle. The candle was lit, and coincidentally, the table was covered with cloth. So, the candle fell, caught fire, and produced smoke,” Ali told reporters at the scene on Monday afternoon.
The fire spread rapidly to other buildings because most structures in the area are made of wood. The flames even reached electricity poles near the residential area. Ali admitted he attempted to break down the victim’s door, suspecting someone was still inside, but his search was unsuccessful.
The victim was eventually found around 9:00 PM WIB near the indoor bathroom, buried under fire debris. The body was discovered by Public Facilities and Urban Infrastructure (PPSU) officers and police using flashlights. “At that time, the debris was already high. It was only when the PPSU and police used lights that the victim was seen near the bathroom,” Ali explained.
As a result of the incident, six buildings were affected, impacting a total of seven families.