The Tangerang Class IA penitentiary caught fire on Wednesday 8th September, early in the morning.
The fire occurred in block C inside the prison complex. Dozens of inmates were burned to death, while eight inmates with serious injuries received treatment at the Tangerang Regional Hospital, and 73 people received treatment for minor injuries at the prison’s on-site facilities.
Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly stated that 41 victims died in the fire this morning. Amongst them were two foreigners from South Africa and Portugal.
“The majority of the victims were drug convicts. One of the victims was a prisoner in a terrorism case, while one was a murder crime,” said Yasonna in a written statement.
Yasonna also expressed his condolences to the victims and their families. He has also ordered his staff to evaluate and provide the best treatment to aid the recovery of the injured.
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The Directorate General of Corrections at the Law and Human Rights Ministry is cooperating with the police to investigate the cause of the fire. In addition, he said his party will discuss the formula for prevention strategies so that incidents like this one do not happen again.
Head of Public Relations of the Tangerang Metropolitan Police, Kompol Abdul Rachim, explained that the fire is now under control and joint officers have been evacuating the bodies of the victims.
The fire at the Tangerang Class I prison occurred in block C2, which was inhabited by 122 people. In its entirety, the Tangerang Class I prison is occupied by 2,072 people.