Police investigate cause of SAR vessel fire at Muara Baru shipyard

The Water and Air Police Directorate (Ditpolairud) of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police is investigating the cause of a fire on the State SAR Vessel Ramawijaya, which caught fire whilst at the Muara Baru Shipyard in North Jakarta on Wednesday evening around 7.30 p.m. local time. “The police have taken initial handling steps by securing the scene, taking statements from witnesses, and coordinating with relevant agencies,” said AKBP Ardhie Demastyo, Head of the Law Enforcement Sub-directorate at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Ditpolairud, on Thursday. Officers are currently conducting an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire. The team has secured the crime scene, examined witnesses, and will coordinate with the Jakarta Metropolitan Police Identification Team to conduct a thorough crime scene investigation. “We urge the public not to speculate until the investigation process is complete,” he said. Investigators will also examine the ship repair procedures that were underway before the fire, including questioning all parties involved in the activity. “All facts and witness statements will be thoroughly examined to determine the cause of the fire objectively, and if elements of negligence or legal violations are found, they will certainly be processed according to applicable regulations,” Ardhie stated. According to witness statements at the scene, the fire is suspected to have originated from the crew’s cabin on the port side of the vessel. Preliminary interrogation of several workers at the location revealed that around 7.00 p.m. local time, a worker named Eko, who was carrying out hull plate replacement work, saw sparks coming from the crew cabin area. The discovery was immediately reported to other workers for initial firefighting efforts. The preliminary suspicion is that the sparks came from plate joining activities carried out near the crew cabin, where a number of work tools, such as welding machines and grinders, were also stored. The workers were known to be carrying out the work based on a work order from PT Proskuneo. Meanwhile, the work foreman, Feri, admitted he was not at the location at the time of the incident as he was sending materials. The firefighting operation involved 15 fire engines deployed to the location until the fire was brought under control. The number of casualties and the value of material losses are still being recorded.