The blaze began within the early hours of Wednesday morning native time in Block C of Tangerang Jail, in Banten province, in response to Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus.
Yusri mentioned firefighters stopped the hearth from spreading to different blocks within the jail and battled the flames for 2 hours earlier than it was extinguished.
An investigation into the reason for the hearth is ongoing however Yusri mentioned they initially suspect {an electrical} brief circuit is responsible.
Rika Aprianti, spokeswoman of the jail division of the regulation and human rights ministry, mentioned authorities have been nonetheless evacuating the power and “the trigger is underneath investigation.”
The block housed inmates being held for drug-related offenses and had a capability for 122 individuals, she mentioned. She didn’t say how many individuals have been current when the hearth broke out, however confirmed the jail was overcrowded.
The jail in Tangerang, an industrial and manufacturing hub close to Jakarta, housed greater than 2,000 inmates, way over its 600 individuals capability, in response to authorities knowledge as of September.
Kompas TV confirmed footage of firefighters attempting to place out large flames from the highest of a constructing. The broadcaster reported 41 individuals had died and eight had been severely injured.
Indonesia’s Metro TV cited a police report saying that 73 individuals additionally had mild accidents.
