JAKARTA: Indonesian firefighters were struggling to extinguish a massive fire that broke out on Saturday at a military ammunition depot just outside the capital, causing multiple explosions and sending clouds of smoke into the night sky.
While no fatalities have been reported, firefighters are grappling to extinguish the blaze, which is believed to have originated in a section of the depot storing expired ammunition.
Military official Mohammad Hasan assured reporters at the scene in Bekasi, on the outskirts of Jakarta, that no casualties had been recorded thus far. The affected area primarily housed expired ammunition, Hasan explained, emphasizing the potential instability of the chemicals contained within.
“The expired ammunitions contain chemicals that can be unstable … There could have been some frictions that sparked the fire,” Hasan stated during a press conference near the site.
Footage aired by local network KompasTV captured the intensity of the inferno, with orange flames and thick smoke billowing into the night sky. The shocks of loud explosions reverberated for kilometers, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Efforts to contain the fire were hampered by its ferocity, preventing firefighters and paramedics from approaching the site, according to reports from local media. The blaze reportedly began at 6:30 p.m. (1130 GMT), triggering panic among residents who mistook the explosions for an earthquake.
Local resident Arga Nanda recounted the harrowing experience to KompasTV, describing how the loud explosion shook doors and windows, prompting people to flee into the streets in fear.
In response to the crisis, army official Kristomei Sianturi stated that authorities were evacuating residents from nearby neighborhoods. However, he acknowledged the challenges faced by firefighters in combating the blaze and cautioned against approaching any objects that may have been propelled outward by the explosions.
