18 killed in fire at Jakarta office building

At least 18 people were reportedly found dead after a fire broke out at the Terra Drone office building in Central Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon, reported Xinhua, quoting local media.

All 18 victims were discovered inside the seven-story building after being trapped when flames rapidly engulfed multiple floors. Their bodies, severely burned, were placed into body bags and transported by ambulances to a police hospital in East Jakarta for further identification.

Firefighting teams from the city continued combing through the building, focusing on the third to fifth floors, which suffered the heaviest damage.

Rescue workers used ladders to evacuate several survivors who were trapped on the upper floors when the fire broke out. Dozens of personnel and multiple fire engines were deployed to bring the blaze under control.

Local media also reported that more victims were believed to still be inside the building.

Search and rescue operations are expected to continue into the night as authorities work to confirm the final death toll and determine the cause of the fire.

Officials have not yet provided details on how many people were inside the building when the fire started.