Fire Threatens Jakarta
Most of the house fire cases in Jakarta were triggered by short circuits or short circuits. The areas most prone to fires are in the West Jakarta area.
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Residents inspect their burned houses in a densely populated residential area in Duri Utara Village, Tambora District, West Jakarta, on Sunday (9/7/2023). At least 76 families consisting of 200 people were affected by the fire.
Within one year, more than 2,000 houses in DKI Jakarta were destroyed by fire, causing at least 8,000 residents to lose their homes. Most of these cases are triggered by an electric short circuit or short circuit. The areas most prone to fire fires are in the West Jakarta area.
Within the period of 2018-2022, the intensity of fires in Jakarta averages around 1,500 cases per year. In fact, in 2019, the number of cases exceeded 2,000 incidents. This means that there are 4-5 fire incidents happening per day.
Based on the latest data in the first semester of 2023, the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency recorded that they have handled 880 fire incidents. If this trend continues, efforts to reduce the number of fire incidents compared to the previous year seem to be difficult to achieve.
In 2022, 2,397 residences were consumed by fire. This figure has increased from the previous year, with 2,333 homes being destroyed. In the 2022 fire, more than 8,000 residents lost their homes.
A massive fire on Sunday (30/7/2923) ravaged a densely populated semi-permanent residential area on Jalan Kapuk Utara, Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan, North Jakarta. About 400 semi-permanent houses were completely burned down and 1,199 people were affected. The fire is believed to have started from a stove that was left on. In densely populated areas like the location of the fire, where some building materials consist of wood and plywood, the flames spread quickly.
Also read: Fire in Kapuk Muara Scorched 400 Houses and 1,109 Affected Residents
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The remaining buildings from the fire on Jalan Kapuk Utara 2, Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, Monday (31/7/2023). Around 400 houses were burned and 1,199 people were affected by this fire.
In addition to negligence in the use of stoves, the dominant cause of fires in Jakarta is electricity. Based on data from the Jakarta Fire Department, seven out of ten fires were caused by short circuits. In 2022, short circuits caused 1,113 fire disasters out of a total of 1,691 fire incidents.
Dense settlement
The use of electrical installations and electronic devices is relatively difficult to control. Often times, electronic appliances that are no longer usable are still installed and connected to the electricity network. This disregard or negligence is very dangerous for densely populated environments. The risk of fire is even higher because the electrical cables in the area are often worn out and their insulation is open. This situation is exacerbated by the crowded residential conditions that are associated with poor air circulation, making the air hot and dry.
In the midst of dense settlements, a practical solution to this situation is to turn on high-speed fans. As the temperature rises, the fan rotation will be adjusted even faster and operated all day. This is risky as it can cause a short circuit, especially on a dirty fan rotor covered in dust. A dirty fan can generate higher friction force causing the machine to work harder and heat up excessively.
Other electronic devices that have the potential to cause fires are rice cookers, irons, and hair straighteners. If they are used carelessly, fires can occur.
Also read: The Fan of the Hot Dispelling, Inviting the Red Hero in Jakarta
The potential for fires also comes from electrical cables carrying voltage. Poor quality and imperfectly insulated cables (with scratches on the cable sheath) can cause short circuits if they come into contact with other electrical conductors. Other electrical components that are also susceptible to fires are electrical outlets. These electrical appliances are vulnerable when they are not well-maintained, dirty, loose, and exposed to water.
Risk of burning house
The occurrence of fire due to short circuits in Jakarta is most prone to happen in densely populated areas. The frequency of fire disasters in the capital city often takes place in congested and slum areas.
According to the publication of the Central Bureau of Statistics entitled "Data Collection on Slum RWs of DKI Jakarta 2017", in West Jakarta City there are 769 slum RTs. This figure is the highest of all administrative regions in the Capital City. The next position is occupied by Central Jakarta with slums reaching 733 RTs. Furthermore, sequentially occupied by North Jakarta (657 RT), South Jakarta (562 RT), and East Jakarta (511 RT).
West Jakarta has the highest number of slums and has also experienced a high number of house fire cases throughout 2022. House fire cases in the West Jakarta area have destroyed 635 residences and affected 2,639 people.
The note places West Jakarta as the most vulnerable area with a total of 382 fire cases. This number is slightly lower compared to South Jakarta which reached 492 cases. However, with the denser settlement type in West Jakarta compared to East Jakarta, the impact of fires in West Jakarta is more severe.
In general, the number of fires in 2022 will be higher than the previous year in all administrative areas of DKI Jakarta. This increase is an alarm that it is necessary to encourage anticipatory programs involving the community to prevent fire problems from occurring.
Read also: Kelurahan Fire Fighting Task Force in Jakarta is Not Enough
The condition of affected residents along with the items they saved from a fire in RW 003, Jalan Kapuk Utara 2, Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan, North Jakarta, Sunday (30/7/2023) afternoon.
Fires in the capital are often not handled swiftly and appropriately, so the fires have already grabbed and spread. People's reflex to save things when they see fire in their neighborhood. Panic and the rush of moving things made some people forget to face the raging fire. In fact, the community forgot and it was too late to convey the news to the nearest fire station (Kompas, 10/7/2023).
Therefore, the community and local government must jointly raise awareness and vigilance against the threat of a lurking fire disaster. Communities must also be educated about appropriate mitigation measures and procedures in dealing with fire disaster situations. This collaboration is very important because it is by working together that the anticipation of fire threats can be maximized.
Governor Regulation of DKI Jakarta Number 57 of 2022 concerning the Organizational Structure of the Fire and Rescue Department (Disgulkarmat) mentions the existence of the Fire Prevention Division. The division consists of two sections that carry out technical guidance and community empowerment functions. This regulation indirectly involves the community in disaster mitigation efforts.
With the creation of the joint mitigation program, it is expected that fire prevention efforts can work optimally. The goal is to reduce the risk of fires in the Jakarta area, especially in densely populated residential areas. (KOMPAS RESEARCH)
