Authorities said a drone battery explosion on the ground floor was the likely trigger of the blaze, which rapidly engulfed the upper floors before firefighters managed to extinguish it. However, the exact cause remains under investigation.
“Further confirmation will come from the forensic laboratory team, but we are committed to thoroughly investigating this incident,” said Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro.
Witnesses reported that the fire erupted around lunchtime and had already grown significantly by the time emergency services arrived. “The door was closed. When firefighters broke in, the flames were already big and very red,” said 53-year-old Nurhayati.
Updating an earlier death toll of 17, police confirmed 22 fatalities, including 15 women and one pregnant woman. Many victims are believed to have died from asphyxiation rather than burns.
More than 100 firefighters and 29 fire trucks were deployed to the site in Kemayoran, a busy district of the capital. A local police commander was injured during the evacuation effort.
Fire crews continued cooling operations and worked to clear thick smoke lingering inside the building, which housed an agricultural drone services company. AFP footage showed a charred facade with shattered windows as responders used large industrial fans to ventilate the area.
Police have begun questioning witnesses, including the business owner and the building owner, as part of an inquiry into possible negligence or other contributing factors.
Deadly fires remain common in Indonesia. Last year, at least 12 people were killed following an explosion at a nickel-processing plant in the country’s east.
