A fire broke out on Wednesday (08 Sept) at Indonesia’s Tangerang prison, located in the Banten Province around 1:45 a.m local time killing at least 41 inmates.
122 inmates were being held on drug-related offenses in a block built to hold 38, said Rika Aprianti, a spokeswoman for the ministry’s prison department.
Confirming that all 41 fatalities were inmates, Rika Aprianti noted that the authorities were still evacuating the facility as of 9.00 a.m. local time.
“We’re working together with relevant authorities to look into the causes of the fire and of course formulating prevention strategies so that severe catastrophes like this won’t happen again,” Indonesian Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna Laoly said in a statement.
Two foreign nationals were among the 41 fatalities, one from Portugal and one from South Africa.
Indonesia’s Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly said in a press conference that the embassies of the respective countries had been informed.
Mr. Laoly added that multiple rooms in the prison block had been locked and could not be opened as the fire spread.
National television cited a police report saying that 73 people also had suffered light injuries. “The initial suspicion is this was because of an electrical short circuit,” police spokesman Yusri Yunus told the broadcaster.
The electrical wiring at the prison had not been upgraded since 1972 when the prison was built, minister Yasonna told Wednesday’s briefing.
