Three Vessels Gutted by Fire at Muara Angke, Police Investigate Cause

Three vessels moored at Muara Angke Pier in Penjaringan subdistrict, North Jakarta, have been completely gutted by fire. The Criminal Investigation Unit of the Sunda Kelapa Harbour Police is investigating the cause of the blaze. “We are still investigating,” said Sunda Kelapa Harbour Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKP Ery Suroto in Jakarta on Sunday. He stated that the investigation is being conducted to determine whether there are any indications of criminal activity in this fire incident. He acknowledged that the Sunda Kelapa Harbour Police Criminal Investigation Unit team has not yet been able to enter the vessels because they remain hot following the fire. Once the vessels have cooled down, officers will conduct a crime scene investigation on the three ships. His team has already taken statements from several witnesses at the scene. “For the time being, we cannot process the crime scene because it is still hot after the fire,” he said. Earlier, the North Jakarta and Thousand Islands Fire and Rescue Service suspected that the fire, which destroyed three vessels docked at Muara Angke Pier in Pluit subdistrict, North Jakarta, on Sunday morning, was triggered by an electrical short circuit during repair work. “Information from witnesses indicates the fire was triggered by an electrical short circuit during ship repairs,” said Fire and Rescue Service Operations Section Head Gatot Sulaeman in Jakarta on Sunday. According to witness accounts, they saw plumes of smoke rising from a vessel undergoing repairs or docking at the location. The witnesses then tried to seek help from nearby residents, but the fire grew larger and they called for assistance from the fire brigade.