Home / Disasters and Accidents / Jakarta Landfill Fire Extinguished After Week-Long Blaze
Jakarta Landfill Fire Extinguished After Week-Long Blaze
10 Jul
Summary
- Fire at Jakarta's Jatiwaringin landfill raged for over a week.
- Over 230 people were evacuated due to hazardous smoke.
- Methane gas buildup and heat wave likely caused the fire.
A severe landfill fire in Jakarta's Tangerang district, which had been burning for more than a week, was officially extinguished on Thursday evening. The fire, which started on June 30, consumed approximately 15 hectares of the Jatiwaringin landfill.
Officials declared a two-week emergency following the incident, as over 300 cases of acute respiratory syndrome were reported. More than 230 individuals were evacuated from the vicinity due to the hazardous smoke plumes that billowed from the site.
While the immediate fire is out, firefighters are continuing an intensive cooling process. Evacuated residents have since returned home. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though locals and environmental activists point to trapped methane gas and recent heat waves as likely factors, highlighting long-standing waste management issues.
Indonesia is bracing for an intensified dry season, partly due to the El Nino weather pattern, increasing the risk of such fires.
