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)