Massive Fire Engulfs Jakarta's Drone Battery Office, 22 People Killed

Jakarta: A 7‑storey drone office block in the Kemayoran area of Jakarta was engulfed in a massive fire around midday on Tuesday, leaving at least 22 people dead. According to reports, the building housed the sales and storage office of PT Terra Drone Indonesia, a company that supplies unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for sectors such as construction, mining and agriculture. According to Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro, the blaze began on the ground floor when a drone battery suffered a short circuit or thermal failure, causing an explosion that ignited the fire .

On receiving information, hundreds of emergency personnel, including about 100 firefighters and 29 fire trucks, were dispatched to the scene. Reportedly, the flames spread quickly from the first floor upwards, forcing workers on the upper levels to run for their safety. 

A video of the fire incident is going viral on social media, wherein people can be seen struggling to find an escape route on the rooftop of the building, as thick black smoke fills the area. The people were seen standing on the edge of the terrace in a bid to escape unhurt from the fire and black smoke. 

According to reports, some employees climbed onto the roof while others were lowered from the sixth floor on a fire ladder, a tense operation captured on local television. At least 19 people managed to reach the rooftop and survive, but many remained trapped as thick black smoke filled the corridors .

The firefighters continued their efforts for over 3 hours to bring the blaze under control. Although the fire has now been extinguished, the rescue teams are still scouring the charred interior for any possible survivors. A police commander was injured while helping with the evacuation, and officers are continuing to cool the building and clear smoke from the upper floors .

The police have confirmed that at least 22 bodies, including 7 men and 15 women, one of them pregnant, were recovered and taken to the police hospital in East Jakarta for identification. The police officials stated that most of the victims appear to have died from asphyxiation rather than burns. Survivor Dimitri, who was inside the building, stated that a battery began sparking in a storage and testing area, and that colleagues on higher floors tried to escape by moving to the roof while calling for help .

The Jakarta authorities stated that the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Condro said investigators are questioning witnesses, including the business owner and the building owner, to determine whether negligence played a role. The forensic teams are analysing the damaged battery to establish the exact technical failure .

The incident followed a 2023 explosion at a nickel‑processing plant that killed a dozen people. The Terra Drone office, part of a Japanese‑owned drone corporation, specialises in aerial surveys for mining, agriculture and other industries, making the building a hub of modern technology that was ironically undone by one of its own batteries.