A fire erupted at a seven-storey office building in central Jakarta on Tuesday, killing at least 20 people, authorities said. Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro stated that the blaze began around midday on the building’s first floor before rapidly spreading upward. Some employees were on lunch break inside the building when the fire broke out, while others had already left for the day. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and continued searching for possible victims throughout the afternoon.
Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Senior Commissioner Susatyo Purnomo Condro told Kompas TV that the fire started on the first floor, where staff initially attempted to put it out.
Battery Started Fire
“There was a battery on the first floor that caught fire. An employee managed to put it out, but the burning battery reignited and spread, as the first floor serves as a warehouse,” he explained. Condro added that the flames quickly intensified, with smoke rising up to the sixth floor. The bodies of all victims recovered have been transported to Kramat Jati Police Hospital for identification.
The building houses Terra Drone Indonesia, a subsidiary of Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, which provides aerial survey drones for industries including mining and agriculture.
Footage from Kompas TV showed firefighters evacuating workers and carrying body bags from the site. Some individuals were seen escaping from upper floors using portable ladders. Neither Terra Drone Indonesia nor its parent company immediately responded to requests for comment.
Videos Seen Erupting from Upper Floors
Videos aired by Kompas TV showed flames erupting from the upper floors of the building as firefighters worked to reach people trapped inside. Thick black smoke spread across the area, forcing nearby residents and office workers to evacuate to the streets for safety. Emergency crews were seen carrying multiple body bags out of the damaged structure while continuing their search for possible survivors.
Polisi: 20 Orang Meninggal dalam Kebakaran Kantor di Kemayoran
Baca di: https://t.co/M9eQCj95f6 pic.twitter.com/gipldDYXPp
— Kompas.com (@kompascom) December 9, 2025
