JAKARTA: At least 20 people have died in a fire at a seven-story office building in central Jakarta on Tuesday, authorities said. The blaze reportedly began in the afternoon after a battery on the first floor exploded, quickly spreading to the upper levels.
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Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro confirmed that the victims included five men and 15 women, among them a pregnant woman. Most of the casualties appeared to have died from asphyxiation rather than burns, he added.
A #fire broke out in a commercial office building in central #Jakarta, #Indonesia, on Tuesday, killing at least 20 people.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit in a battery located on the first floor of the building. The blaze… pic.twitter.com/ziNFW5moFp— Deccan Chronicle (@DeccanChronicle) December 9, 2025
🔥 DEADLY FIRE in Jakarta:
A massive fire tore through a 7-storey office building in central #Jakarta, killing 17 people and trapping several others.
Rescue teams are still searching the site as the cause remains under investigation.#Indonesia #H2HseriesEP7 #Ember pic.twitter.com/J2J6Hnkubb
— Eyes on the Globe (@eyes_globe) December 9, 2025
The victims’ bodies have been transferred to the police hospital for autopsies, while firefighters continue to search the building for anyone who may still be trapped inside. “We are still collecting data, but for now, we are focusing on identifying the victims who have been found,” Susatyo said.
Firefighters were also working to cool the building, which remains intensely hot, with thick smoke affecting several floors. The cause of the battery explosion is still under investigation, though authorities are treating it as the likely trigger of the deadly blaze.
Deadly fires are not uncommon in Indonesia. In 2023, at least 12 people died and 39 were injured after an explosion at a nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in industrial and office buildings.
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Authorities have urged building owners to ensure proper safety measures are in place, while emergency services continue to monitor the site closely. Residents and relatives of those missing are anxiously awaiting updates as investigations and rescue operations proceed.