Massive Fire in Makassar Destroys 50 Houses, Affecting 90 Families

A massive fire struck a densely populated residential area on Jalan Sultan Abdullah 2, Tallo District, Makassar, South Sulawesi, in the early hours of Friday (31/7). At least 50 semi-permanent houses were destroyed by the flames, affecting 90 heads of households.

The Makassar Fire and Rescue Service (Damkarmat) first received reports of the blaze at 01:26 WITA. The first fire engines arrived on the scene ten minutes later, at 01:36 WITA. Firefighters battled the rapidly spreading flames for over two hours before finally bringing the blaze under control at 04:10 WITA.

Muhammad Fadli Tahar, Head of the Makassar City BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency), stated that the assessment process is still ongoing, meaning the current figures for affected houses and residents are provisional. “The BPBD team went directly to the location to conduct an assessment. We are still collecting data as the situation on the ground is still developing. The initial report indicates 90 families, but we are working to verify this,” said Fadli.

According to preliminary reports from the BPBD, the fire was suspected to have been triggered by an electrical short circuit in one of the houses. The flames spread quickly to neighbouring structures because most houses in the area are semi-permanent wooden buildings situated close together. The Head of Makassar Damkarmat, Fadli Wellang, noted that the wooden materials and strong winds contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.

A total of 30 fire engines and one rescue unit were deployed to the scene, supported by 80 firefighters from the Ujung Tanah and Mako Damkarmat posts, along with 10 rescue personnel. The firefighting operation involved personnel from the Makassar City BPBD, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), and the National Police (Polri). All firefighting vehicles were able to leave the site by 04:39 WITA.

Fadli emphasised the government’s commitment to responding swiftly to disasters. “The community does not need long-winded answers when facing a disaster; what they need is a rapid response and a tangible presence of the state,” he asserted.

The BPBD is preparing recovery stages for the affected residents, including the distribution of logistical aid, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and trauma healing if necessary. Urgent needs for the displaced residents include tarpaulins, baby kits, family kits, first aid kits, sarongs, clothing, blankets, and two large tents.