Cideng's Fire, Ministry of Social Affairs Takes a Persuasive Approach to Evacuate Residents

JAKARTA (22 January 2021) - After the fire occurs on Jl. Citarum, Taman Jati Baru RT 14/01, Cideng, Gambir, Central Jakarta, Friday afternoon (22/1), the Ministry of Social Affairs provided assistance and a persuasive approach to residents who had lost their homes and businesses.

Director of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims (PSKBS), Sunarti, said that this persuasive approach was intended so that residents would temporarily be moved to refugee camps.

"We understand very well that they must have an emotional connection with the burning house, maybe they still hope that their properties can still be saved, I think there was a bit of a problem, but we are doing it persuasively," said Sunarti while inspecting the fire location in Jakarta, Friday (22/1).

So, she continued, her party together with the team from the Ministry of Social Affairs would continue to supervise and remind them to stay alert or get out of the burning house immediately, given the remaining embers.

The cause of the fire, which is not certain, was first reported to have appeared at 11.40 local time and devoured at least 20 houses which were inhabited by 40 families or an estimated 200 people.

The Ministry of Social Affairs through the Directorate of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims (PSKBS) immediately confirmed the point of the fire and collected data on the needs of refugees who were temporarily evacuated to the Al Amanah Mosque, not far from the location of the fire.

"We build coordination with local stakeholders, both the Head of the Village and the Head of RT / RW, evacuate them, accompany the evacuation process, then together we collect data on the number of vulnerable groups," explained Sunarti.

The data collection, said Sunarti, was to accelerate additional assistance for family assessments in the form of family kits, hand washing soap, cleaning tools and clothing needs, including the needs of babies, the elderly and pregnant women.

The Story of a Fire Victim

As a result of the accident, Ida (60), a fire victim's grandmother, admitted that her house was completely engulfed by the fire without leaving anything. Grandma Ida who only lives with her grandchildren now needs school supplies for her grandchild who is in elementary school.

“I need clothes for my grandson. I also just wore this dress out (when get out the house to save herself). My grandson needs his school clothes, I'll enough just wear this dress only, "she said.

She said that this afternoon she was helping her grandson taking a video for her grandson's school needs just before the fire incident.

"He was studying earlier, exercising, long jump. My grandson want me to take some video for him. I did it for a moment, but it didn't take long due to the fire,” she told her version of the fire chronology.

In the meantime, she said she would stay at her relative's place in Tomang area, West Jakarta while waiting for the fire identification process to be investigated by the authorities.

After the incident, the Ministry of Social Affairs has deployed Peace Pioneers to conduct a rapid assessment of the needs of victims. Meanwhile, Tagana and Karang Taruna moved quickly to open a field kitchen to prepare food for the victims, and religious leaders helped calm the residents.

The Director added that the Ministry of Social Affairs together with the DKI Jakarta Provincial Social Office and the Central Jakarta Social Office worked together to provide food assistance for fire victims.

The public kitchen is targeted to prepare food for all victims, officers and volunteers who help extinguish the fire. "Tonight, for about 250 portions of rice have been prepared and distributed to the displaced fire victims," ​​Sunarti concluded.