A fire broke out at a seven-storey building in Indonesia's capital Jakarta on Tuesday, killing at least 22 people, police said.

Police said a battery that exploded on the first floor had ignited the fire, which spread to the upper levels of the building in central Jakarta before being put out.

Susatyo Purnomo Condro, the Central Jakarta police chief, told reporters that "the number of victims who died is 22," updating an initial toll of 17.

Most of the dead were women, including one who was pregnant, he said.

But the toll could still rise as emergency workers search the scene for people possibly trapped inside the building or more victims.

The building is the office of Terra Drone Indonesia, which provides drones for aerial-survey activities with clients in the mining to agriculture sectors.

The company is the Indonesian unit of Japanese drone firm Terra Drone Corporation, according to the company's website.

Footage broadcast by Kompas TV showed dozens of firefighters were trying to evacuate the people inside, and some were carrying body bags from the building.

Some workers were also seen escaping from the high floors of the building using portable ladders.

At least 100 firefighters and 29 fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the blaze, according to the Jakarta Fire Department. (Agencies)
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Last updated: 2025-12-09 HKT 19:26