Fire at Prison on Outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia... At Least 41 Dead

[Photo by CNA Broadcasting Twitter capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] A fire broke out at a prison on the outskirts of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, killing at least 41 people.

According to the daily Kompas and others on the 8th, a fire occurred around 1:45 a.m. at the Tangerang Prison in Banten Province, resulting in multiple casualties.

Local broadcasts reported that massive flames erupted on the rooftop of the prison building, and numerous firefighters were deployed to extinguish the fire.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Law and Human Rights stated, "A fire broke out in Block C of Tangerang Prison in the early morning," adding, "The cause of the fire is under investigation."

He did not disclose how many people were present at the scene when the fire occurred but acknowledged that the prison was overcrowded at the time.

The police announced that so far, 41 people have died, 8 are seriously injured, and 73 have sustained minor injuries.

A police spokesperson said, "We are currently assuming an electrical short circuit as the cause of the fire."

An official from Tangerang Prison stated that the total inmate population was 2,072, and Block C, where the fire broke out, housed 122 inmates, including drug offenders.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.