Deadly Blaze Tears Through Jakarta Drone-Company Office — At Least 22 Killed

A fast-moving fire tore through a seven-story office building in Jakarta's Kemayoran neighborhood around midday on Tuesday, killing at least 22 people, including a pregnant woman, police said. Thick black smoke and towering flames sparked panic among nearby residents and workers as firefighters raced to contain the blaze.

Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro said the blaze is believed to have started on the building's first floor in a storage and testing area before spreading upward. The building was used as a sales and storage office for PT Terra Drone Indonesia, a company that supplies unmanned aerial vehicle technology to sectors such as construction, mining and energy.

Hundreds of emergency personnel and 29 fire trucks responded to the scene. Firefighters battled the inferno for about three hours before bringing it under control, but heavy smoke hampered early search efforts and raised concerns the death toll could still rise.

Condro said witnesses reported a battery began to spark while charging in a storage and testing area. A nearby resident, Intan Puspita, described hearing a loud bang and seeing workers rush outside. "When asked, they said that there was an alleged short circuit in one of the batteries during the charging process," she told reporters.

Television footage and witness accounts showed tense rooftop escapes and firefighters lowering more than a dozen trapped workers from the sixth floor on an emergency ladder, with each person lowered one by one amid thick smoke. Authorities said most of the victims appear to have died from smoke inhalation.

"We will comb through the entire building again," Condro said, warning the death toll could rise as crews continue cooling the scene and monitor remaining hotspots. Bodies recovered so far — seven men and 15 women, including a pregnant woman — were taken to the police hospital in East Jakarta for identification.

Fire crews reported rescuing at least 19 people; some sustained minor injuries while others were treated for breathing difficulties and shock. A police officer and a firefighter also experienced breathing problems during the emergency response.

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung visited the scene and urged companies to strengthen workplace safety culture, ensure clear emergency access and maintain evacuation plans. "This case obviously shows the company does not provide 'emergency access' from fire in the direct physical sense," he told reporters.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire. Officials appealed for patience from anxious family members who gathered at hospitals and near the building while identification and inquiries proceed.