Police Investigate Basarnas Ship Fire in North Jakarta
The Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police is investigating the fire that broke out on a Basarnas ship at the Muara Baru shipyard in North Jakarta. Investigators are examining witnesses and processing the crime scene.
"The team has secured the scene, and we will coordinate with the Identification Unit of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police to conduct a thorough crime scene investigation," said AKBP Ardhie Demastyo, Head of the Law Enforcement Sub-Directorate at Ditpolairud Jakarta Metropolitan Police, on Thursday (23/7/2026).
The investigation will also scrutinise the repair work procedures carried out on the ship before the fire. Ardhie stated that the police would examine all parties involved in the activity. "We will investigate all facts and witness statements to determine the cause of the fire objectively. If any negligence or legal violations are found, they will be processed according to the applicable regulations," he said.
Based on preliminary information, the fire is suspected to have originated from sparks during plate welding work. The sparks reportedly ignited in the crew’s quarters, located on the port side of the ship. "Initial interrogations of several workers at the site revealed that around 7:00 PM, a worker named Eko, who was performing plate welding, saw sparks from the crew’s quarters area," Ardhie explained. "The discovery was immediately reported to other workers to attempt initial fire suppression."
The ship, KN SAR Ramawijaya 240, belongs to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas). The vessel caught fire while undergoing annual maintenance at the PT Proskuneo Kadarusman shipyard. Ramli Prasetio, a public relations officer for the Jakarta SAR Office, confirmed the incident and noted that 20 fire engines from the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Service were deployed to extinguish the blaze. He also confirmed that there were no casualties, as the ship was docked for maintenance and no crew members were on board during the incident.