Police confirm Jakarta office fire kills at least 22 people

Fire breaks out in an office building in Jakarta, killing at least 22 people Authorities continue to search for casualties.

The fire at the seven-story building in the Indonesian capital started on Tuesday afternoon while some workers were having lunch, according to city police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro.

Police believe the cause of the fire was a battery explosion on the first floor, which then spread upwards. The building houses a company that manufactures drones.

Most of the victims were women, one of whom was pregnant, Susatio said. They likely died from smoke suffocation rather than burns.

Firefighters deployed 28 engines and about 100 personnel as smoke billowed from upstairs and dramatic footage showed trapped employees being rescued by ladders.

The fire has been extinguished and rescue teams are now focusing on the upper floors of the building after clearing the lower floors.

According to the Jakarta Globe, Susatio said entering the sixth floor was “particularly challenging” according to firefighters at the scene.

“We’re still collecting data,” he told The Associated Press. “But for now, our focus is on identifying the victims who have been found.”

The company provides drone services to industrial customers ranging from aerial mapping to inspection and agriculture.