Sultan HB X Addresses Hamzah Batik Malioboro Fire
The Governor of DIY, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, has spoken out regarding the fire that struck the Hamzah Batik Malioboro store in Gondomanan, Yogyakarta City, in the early hours of Monday (28/9). The Sultan reminded all shop owners to ensure they possess portable fire extinguishers (APAR).
“I do not know exactly whether there were fire extinguishing tools available there, in the sense of what one has at home, such as canisters and so on. Are they present? If not, it should be a habit for shops to have fire extinguishers (APAR),” the Sultan told reporters at the DIY DPRD Building on Wednesday (30/9/2026) afternoon.
“If they do not have them, the risk is exactly this. Therefore, if they are not yet available, we could consider ensuring that every shop and similar establishments possess APAR,” he added.
The Sultan stated that even if shops possess fire extinguishers, they must also conduct regular inspections to ensure the equipment is ready for use during emergencies.
“At the very least, at the start of a fire, it can be sprayed using the APAR before the fire brigade arrives. However, if it is a canister, it must be refilled every year; it should not just be left idle,” said the Sultan.
It was previously reported that the Hamzah Batik Malioboro store in Ngupasan, Gondoman, Yogyakarta City, caught fire in the early hours of Monday (28/9). The fire is suspected to have originated from the kitchen area on the third floor of the building.
Deputy Head of Public Relations for Jogja Metropolitan Police, Inspector Dani Hasan, explained that the fire is believed to have occurred around 1:30 AM WIB.
“A witness, while working with a friend to repair a bathroom on the third floor, heard the sound of something bursting/burning,” Dani said when contacted on Monday (28/9).
“The witness checked and saw flames in the kitchen area on the third floor. Subsequently, the witness informed the security guard on duty, who then used a fire extinguisher to attempt to put out the fire,” he continued.
However, the security guard’s actions were unable to contain the blaze. As the fire grew larger, officers were forced to report the incident to the Yogyakarta City Fire and Rescue Service (Damkarmat) and the Gondomanan Police.
“Shortly thereafter, units from the Yogyakarta City Fire Brigade, Gondomanan Police, and the PSC 119 medical team arrived at the scene. The extinguishing process involved 12 fire brigade units, one Water Cannon unit from the Jogja Metropolitan Police, and one TNI fire truck,” Dani explained.
The fire was successfully extinguished just before dawn. Dani stated that the cause of the fire is still under police investigation, though he confirmed there were no casualties.
“At 04:45 AM WIB, the fire was extinguished, followed by the cooling process at the scene,” he revealed.
“There were no casualties, and the total material loss is not yet known. The cause is still under investigation,” he added.
Forensic Team Deployed
The Jogja Metropolitan Police have involved the Forensic Laboratory (Labfor) team from the Central Java Regional Police to uncover the cause of the fire. Dani explained that several samples of debris from the Hamzah Batik fire are currently being examined by the Labfor.
“On Monday, 2nd September 2026, investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit and INAFIS of the Jogja Metropolitan Police, along with the Central Java Regional Police Forensic Laboratory team, conducted a crime scene investigation,” Dani explained when contacted by reporters on Wednesday (30/9/2026).
Dani added that the authorities are continuing to examine samples taken from the scene to determine the cause of the fire.
Regarding the estimated total losses resulting from the fire, Dani noted that the calculations are still being conducted by the Hamzah Batik management.
“The total loss is still being documented by the owners of the batik shop,” said Dani.