A fire at a seven-story office building in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Tuesday afternoon has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 22 individuals. Authorities are continuing search operations at the site.
Incident Details
The blaze reportedly commenced on the first floor of the building. City police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro stated that preliminary investigations suggest the fire was caused by an exploding battery, with flames subsequently spreading through the building to upper levels. Some employees were reportedly having lunch at the time the incident began.
The affected premises house a company involved in drone manufacturing.
Victims and Cause of Death
Police observations indicate that the majority of the identified victims were women, including one individual who was pregnant. Police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro indicated that the likely cause of death for these individuals was asphyxiation from smoke inhalation, rather than direct burn injuries.