Ministry of Home Affairs Office in South Jakarta Catches Fire, Blaze Originates from Warehouse

JAKARTA - A fire at the Directorate General of Village Government Development office of the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, is suspected to have originated from a warehouse of used goods on Monday (20/4/2026).

The Head of the Ministry of Home Affairs Information Centre, Beni Irawan, stated that the pile of used items was located next to the clinic in Building D. The fire then spread upwards to the fourth floor at the back of the building, causing the windows to shatter.

“The fire initially appeared at the site of the pile of used goods, gradually growing larger and resulting in a blaze,” Beni explained to Kompas.com on Monday.

However, the exact cause of the incident is not yet known.

Meanwhile, a resident, Muhammad Sahri (45), said that before the fire grew, he smelled burning tyres. He then shouted to the employees inside the building to extinguish the flames.

“I shouted as loudly as I could, and someone looked out from the window. I said, ‘Who’s burning the tyres? Put it out!’ Then he replied, ‘No one, sir, this is a fire!’ I panicked immediately,” Sahri recounted.

The fire caused five Ministry of Home Affairs employees to suffer injuries and shortness of breath, as well as a firefighter sustaining minor injuries.