A devastating fire erupted at Glodok Plaza in Taman Sari, West Jakarta, late Wednesday night. The blaze, which began around 9:22 p.m., originated in a nightclub on the seventh floor and quickly spread through the upper floors of one of Jakarta's oldest shopping centers. Known for its vast array of electronics stores, Glodok Plaza became a scene of chaos as the fire trapped several individuals within the nightclub.
Emergency services responded swiftly to the incident. The city's fire and rescue agency deployed over 47 fire trucks and 200 personnel to tackle the inferno. Despite these efforts, the fire was only extinguished by Thursday morning, with cooling operations continuing into Friday. The extensive damage and the nature of the electronic products stored in the mall complicated suppression efforts.
“The burnt area was huge, three floors were engulfed in flames, level seven, eight and nine … then, most of the stores in the mall sell electronic products which were burnt,” said Satriati from the fire and rescue agency.
In a tragic turn of events, six bodies have been recovered and taken to the Police Hospital in East Jakarta for identification. Meanwhile, 14 individuals remain unaccounted for, leaving a cloud of uncertainty over whether the deceased are among those reported missing. Among those missing, eight individuals—seven women and one man—were reported by their family members.
“Six bodies have been brought to the Police Hospital (in East Jakarta) to be identified,” stated Isnawa Adji.
Amidst the chaos, nine individuals were rescued using hydraulic ladders late Wednesday night. Although they experienced shock and had difficulty breathing after their ordeal, they are reportedly in good condition.
“Nine survived the fire, thank god they are all in good condition although they were in shock and had difficulty breathing after being rescued,” reported Syariduddin from the rescue agency.
The fire at Glodok Plaza has resonated deeply within the community, with viral videos on TikTok showing individuals desperately waving for help using their phone flashlights. As investigations continue, officials are still conducting cooling efforts on Friday to ensure complete safety.
The fire marks a significant tragedy for Jakarta's top hub for electronics. Concerns regarding safety measures and emergency preparedness at such venues are likely to intensify following this incident.
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