A fire broke out at a seven-storey building in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on Tuesday, an official said on Tuesday, with 20 people confirmed dead.
According to Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro qho told reporters, the blaze, which broke out around midday on the first floor, quickly spread through the building. Many employees of Terra Drone Indonesia the (building’s occupant) were on their lunch break when the fire erupted, while others had stepped out.
Condro said the fire had been extinguished, but teams remained focused on evacuating victims and cooling the structure. Footage aired by Kompas TV showed firefighters carrying body bags out of the building and using portable ladders to help workers escape from upper floors.
The office houses Terra Drone Indonesia, a provider of aerial survey drones serving sectors from mining to agriculture. It is the Indonesian unit of Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, according to the company’s website. Both firms did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.