Drone firm building engulfed in florescent blaze: 20 killed in inferno

Jakarta (The Uttam Hindu): A massive fire engulfed a 7-storey commercial building in Indonesia's capital Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, causing panic in the entire area. So far, 20 people have been confirmed dead in the accident that took place in this building located in Setiabudi area of ​​South Jakarta. The deceased include 15 women and 5 men. The fire was so horrific that many bodies were badly burnt, for whose identification the administration will now have to resort to DNA test. Currently, many injured are being treated in nearby hospitals and the death toll is expected to rise.

The building where the accident occurred was the headquarters of the Terra Drone Indonesia company. Initial investigations by the police and fire brigade revealed that the fire originated in the lithium-ion battery storage area on the first floor, where high-capacity batteries used in drones were stored. A sudden short circuit caused the batteries to explode in quick succession. These explosions quickly ignited the fire, engulfing the entire building in a cloud of toxic smoke.

The incident occurred around 1 p.m., during the employees' lunch break. People were present in the canteen and offices on the first and second floors. As soon as the explosions occurred, panic ensued. People ran towards the stairs to save their lives, but the smoke spread so rapidly that many were trapped and died of suffocation. People on the upper floors were seen pleading for help from windows. More than 25 fire engines and 150 firefighters were engaged in relief work at the scene. The search operation continued on the sixth and seventh floors until late evening. Experts have attributed the lack of safety standards in the storage of lithium-ion batteries as a major cause of the accident.