The Mampang Prapatan Fire and the Sad Story That Keeps Recurring in Jakarta

The fire that broke out at the "Saudara" framing business in Mampang Prapatan led to the deaths of Thang Tjiman (75), Heni (39), Richie (2), Austin (8), Tiara (24), Shella, and one unidentified female victim. Thang, Heni, Richie, and Austin were a family who also owned the business. Meanwhile, Tiara, Shella, and another victim were household assistants of the Thang family.

There are several things that need attention, namely the inadequate availability of light fire extinguishing equipment so that when a fire explosion occurs, it is not immediately handled. Moreover, this business place stores easily flammable materials such as thinner and paint. According to Ujang, the initial indication is that the fire was caused by a compressor explosion or ignited gasoline.

Also read: Fire in Mampang Kills 7 People, Traffic Jams

Equally important is the availability of evacuation routes. In fact, every building should have an evacuation route for occupants to evacuate themselves. However, in reality, these buildings still do not have adequate evacuation facilities.

The burnt buildings are packed closely with other buildings. The only evacuation space is through the front door. "This situation will certainly be an evaluation material, especially for business owners," said Ujang.

A fire that burned down a business and claimed the life of its owner has also occurred in the small industrial village of Penggilingan in the Cakung District of East Jakarta on Sunday (4/2/2024).

The fire disaster destroyed a confectionery business and claimed four lives, all of whom were from the same family.

Jakarta must have a fire protection system master plan.

The Head of the Operational Section of the East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Service, Gatot Sulaeman, stated that the cause of the fire was suspected to be a short circuit. "There were seven occupants in the garment factory. Four of them died in the fire, while the other three survived," said Gatot.

The Head of Field V for Development of Construction Services and Businesses at the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Manlian RA Simanjuntak, has assessed that currently, the DKI Provincial Government does not have a comprehensive fire protection system.

"Jakarta must have a fire protection system master plan so that there are plans and strategies for fighting fires," said Manlian.

The fire protection system master plan is important to mitigate the risk of fire, from lowest to highest, in the capital's residential areas.

Manlian mentioned that the master plan for fire protection systems can lead to better spatial planning. However, this system still requires a supporting strategy in the form of education on the use of fire-resistant materials. In addition, there is also a need for the provision of shelters or new areas for fire victims.

On the other hand, private buildings such as houses are recommended to have their own fire extinguishers (APAR). Each house is indeed recommended to have an APAR. This tool can be used to extinguish small to medium-sized fires.

Usually, the tool used is in the form of a cylinder. The weight of the cylinder ranges from 1-9 kilograms. Each individual must also be taught how to use the tool. The aim is to be able to extinguish fires when they occur in the home or neighborhood.

Buildings with an area of at least 50 square meters, such as schools, shops, commercial buildings, and others, are actually required to have larger fire extinguishing equipment compared to residential buildings.

This is because buildings have a greater risk compared to houses due to their larger size. Therefore, in addition to providing fire extinguishers in every room, heavy fire extinguishing equipment (APAB) must also be provided. This equipment usually comes in the form of a cylinder, weighing between 20-100 kg. APAB is typically placed on a trolley with wheels for easy mobility and usage.

Another tool that is recommended to have is a smoke sensor or smoke detector. This tool can be used to detect the presence of smoke. If smoke is detected, an alarm will sound. This tool can also be connected to a cellphone. So, when smoke is detected, the connected cellphone will provide a notification to the owner.

In addition to smoke sensors, there are also heat sensors that utilize room temperature. If the room temperature is too hot, an alarm will sound. Smoke or heat sensors used in buildings are usually equipped with automatic extinguishing devices.

Also read: It took 13 hours to cool the embers that took seven lives in Mampang Prapatan

This mitigation is considered necessary because throughout the year 2024 (before the Mampang Prapatan case), there were recorded 464 fire incidents or equivalent to 1-2 fires every day. At least six residents died (excluding the Mampang Prapatan case), 27 were injured, and 545 families or 1,605 people were affected, with losses amounting to Rp 111.88 billion. This fire rampage is mostly triggered by electricity-related problems, with a total of 320 incidents.

In the 2019-2023 period, 9,200 fires occurred in Jakarta. From this incident, 142 residents died, 463 other people were injured, and 15,636 families or 55,031 people were affected, with losses amounting to IDR 1.3 trillion. Electrical problems, such as short circuits or short circuits, were the main trigger with 5,501 incidents (Kompas, 13/4/2024).

Recurring fire incidents must be used as a lesson to improve.