Cakarta Terra Drone Building Fire (2025)

Cakarta Terra Drone Building Fire was a major industrial fire that occurred on 9 December 2025 in the Kemayoran district of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, in a seven-story office building owned by Terra Drone Indonesia. The incident resulted in 22 fatalities and 19 people rescued with injuries.

Origin and Progression of the Fire

The fire originated on the first floor of the seven-story building in Kemayoran, central Jakarta, where the office of PT Terra Drone Indonesia was located. According to police official Susatyo Purnomo Condro, the fire broke out around noon local time and quickly spread to upper floors.

According to eyewitness accounts, a loud explosion was heard before dense black smoke rose into the sky. Local resident Intan Puspita stated that employees panicked and ran outside, with some individuals attempting to escape to the roof from upper floors.

After the fire rapidly spread inside the building, 29 fire trucks and over 100 personnel were dispatched to the scene. Firefighting operations lasted three hours, and the fire was brought under control in the afternoon.

Rescue teams used emergency staircases to reach trapped individuals, evacuating workers from the sixth and seventh floors one by one. Several rescued individuals were reported to have experienced breathing difficulties due to heavy smoke.

Cakarta Terra Drone building fire, 9 December 2025 - (Anadolu Ajansı)

Loss of Life and Rescue Operations

Twenty-two people lost their lives in the incident. Of the victims, 15 were women and seven were men, including a pregnant woman seven months along. The bodies were transported to RS Polri Kramat Jati hospital in eastern Jakarta for identification. Nineteen people were rescued alive, some with minor injuries and taken to hospital. Local media sources indicated that many workers perished on the third and fourth floors due to smoke inhalation.

Cakarta Terra Drone building fire, 9 December 2025 - (Anadolu Ajansı)

Possible Cause and Investigation Process

Initial investigations into the cause of the incident suggested the fire originated in a battery storage area on the first floor. It was indicated that one of the drone batteries stored in the building may have overheated and exploded, triggering the fire.

Following the incident, police launched an investigation to question the building owner and company managers. National Police Criminal Laboratory teams collected evidence at the scene to determine the fire’s point of origin.

The investigation also examined possible negligence regarding workplace safety and building permits. After the fire was extinguished, cooling operations continued, and safety inspections were conducted before re-entry into the building was permitted.

Cakarta Terra Drone building fire, 9 December 2025 - (Anadolu Ajansı)

Structure of Terra Drone Indonesia

The building where the fire occurred belonged to PT Terra Drone Indonesia, a subsidiary of the Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation. The company provides industrial aerial measurements, mapping, infrastructure inspections, and data analysis services through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Founded in the 2010s under the name PT Aero Geosurvey Indonesia, the firm is part of the global Terra Drone network operating in over 25 countries. It has delivered services on numerous projects in Indonesia’s energy, mining, construction, public infrastructure, and agriculture sectors. Major local clients include PLN, Waskita, Pertamina, SKK Migas, and Toshiba.

Over the past five years, Terra Drone Indonesia has conducted aerial surveys over more than 600,000 hectares and corridor mapping over 2,500 kilometers. In 2020, it was named by Drone Industry Insights as a candidate for “the world’s number one drone service provider.”

In a statement issued from the company’s headquarters after the fire, Terra Drone Indonesia expressed regret for the impact on the community and its clients, and confirmed that an operational review was underway.

Official and Local Responses

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung visited the site to oversee investigations and extended condolences to the families of the deceased. Anung announced that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov DKI) would be fully responsible for funeral arrangements, with all preparations coordinated by the municipal authorities.

Indonesia’s Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian makes a statement following the fire, 9 December 2025 - (Anadolu Ajansı)

The governor also stated that injured individuals would receive free medical treatment and that all necessary assistance, including psychological support, would be provided. The Jakarta Metropolitan Fire Department, the Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and relevant local units were ordered to remain on standby in the area following the incident.

In his statement, Governor Pramono urged business owners to place greater emphasis on fire safety and emergency preparedness. He also indicated that inspections would be intensified to prevent similar accidents in the future.

Access to the area was temporarily restricted for security reasons after the fire, and police cordoned off the site. Entry into the building was prohibited until forensic investigations were completed.