Deadly Jakarta Blaze Kills 22 in Office Block; Drone Batteries Eyed as Possible Cause

A devastating fire engulfed a seven-storey office building in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of 22 people, according to Central Jakarta police head, Susatyo Purnomo Condro.

The fire began on the first floor around midday and rapidly spread to the upper levels. The building housed the offices of Terra Drone Indonesia, a subsidiary of the Japanese company Terra Drone Corporation, which provides drone services to sectors like mining and agriculture.

At the time of the incident, some company employees were having lunch in the building, while others had already left the office. Footage showed firefighters working to evacuate people, with some individuals using portable ladders to escape the upper floors.

The fire has been extinguished, and the recovered bodies have been transported to a hospital for identification. A police forensic laboratory team has arrived to investigate the cause. Initial information suggests that drone batteries may have caught fire, but the precise point of origin is still under investigation. Police plan to question both the business owner and the building owner.

Terra Drone Co. issued an apology for the distress caused and confirmed it is investigating the impact of the blaze on its operations.