A major fire in Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, claimed the lives of 20 people on Tuesday after a seven-storey office building went up in flames, authorities said.
Central Jakarta Police Chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro confirmed that the fire began around midday on the first floor of the building and quickly spread upward. Many employees were inside the building at the time, with some on their lunch break and others having briefly stepped out.
The blaze has since been put out, but Indonesian rescue teams are still combing through the building to locate any remaining victims. “We are currently focused on evacuating victims and cooling the site,” Condro said.
The building is home to Terra Drone Indonesia, a company that provides drone-based aerial surveys for sectors such as mining and agriculture. It operates under Japan’s Terra Drone Corporation.
Footage aired by Kompas TV showed Indonesian firefighters using ladders to rescue people trapped on higher floors, while several body bags were seen being carried out of the building. Some employees were also spotted escaping through windows with the help of portable ladders.
Both Terra Drone Indonesia and its parent company have yet to issue a statement.