Office of police chief relocated after blaze
Office of police chief relocated after blaze
JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman
Astrosemitro and a number of high-ranking officers have
temporarily moved to other buildings after Monday's blaze at the
main headquarters building.
National Police Spokesman Brig. Gen. IK Ratta said here
yesterday that Banurusman might use a room at the nearby National
Central Bureau Interpol office temporarily.
"We have prepared at least three alternative places, all close
to the main building, for the chief's temporary office," Ratta
said.
The unexpected move occurred because many of the offices were
either gutted or filled with debris.
"Forensic scientists and police detectives are still working
at the fire scene, collecting all material evidence available,"
Ratta said.
The three-hour fire on Monday evening gutted at least 30
offices on the second and top floors of the three-story main
building of the 44-year-old national police headquarters on Jl.
Trunojoyo in South Jakarta.
"The office of the police chief on the first floor was
untouched," said the spokesman. "Only the office of his private
secretary saw fire damage."
Among the rooms on the top floor gutted by the blaze were the
planning, budget division and inspectorate general offices, and a
meeting room.
The fire also gutted several rooms on the second floor,
including a meeting room and offices for staff of the operational
control center division.
Bundles of documents, other archive materials, several weapons
and ammunition were destroyed in the fire.
Ratta said the cause of the fire is still unknown. "Forensic
laboratory examination is underway."
"Anything, such as an electrical short circuit, is possible,
but I am sure we can rule out sabotage," he said without further
explanation.
The building is now cordoned of to prevent unauthorized people
from entering the area.
Hundreds of police officers, whose offices were damaged, had
to work from other buildings, facing constraints imposed by the
loss of files, documents and stationery.
The electricity has been off since yesterday, leaving most of
the undamaged offices in the building dark and silent.
"But the vital communication system link with other regional
and international points still works," Ratta said. "It was not
paralyzed as described by many media."
Even if it failed, we're ready to utilize the communication
system at the City Police Headquarters, he said.
Ratta said that the blaze started at around 4:30 p.m. in a
room of the operational control center division on the third
floor. The officers on duty there at the time could not contain
the fire with the extinguisher there.
"The fire then quickly spread to the other rooms as the roof
and the floors were made of wood," the spokesman said.
About 100 fire fighters with 20 fire engines went to the site
to put out the fire which raged on in the rain.
The fire brigades found it difficult to get water as the
hydrants in the area did not have adequate pressure. The fire
brigades who tried to get water from Blok M shops had to give up
when the shops' security guards prohibited them from doing so.
The guards said permission from their superiors would be
required.
There were no fatalities reported. The police have yet to
finish calculating the losses, which could reach into the
billions of rupiah.
The building was constructed in 1952 and occupied two years
later.
"This is the first time a fire has occurred at the building,"
Ratta said.
Ratta said that the police headquarters will not be moved from
the fire damaged site.
"I have no idea about the next steps to be taken about the
fire-stricken building, but there will be no land-barter
agreement," he said. "The building, which is not insured, will
probably be renovated."
Banurusman filed an official report on the blaze with the
Armed Forces Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung yesterday, Ratta said.
(bsr)