East Jakarta Repairs Fire Hydrants Damaged by Component Theft

The East Jakarta Fire and Rescue (Gulkarmat) Sub-agency has repaired fire hydrants in the Duren Sawit area after their components were stolen, leaving the hydrants damaged.

The hydrants have now been repaired and are fully operational again

East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Sub-agency Facilities and Infrastructure Section Head Muncul said a case involving the theft of hydrant components in Duren Sawit went viral on social media on Thursday (7/30). The affected hydrants have since been repaired with new replacement parts.

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"The stolen components included the outlet coupling, the round hydrant cap, and several other brass parts," Muncul said on Friday (7/31).

According to him, the missing components severely hampered firefighters' ability to respond to fires in the surrounding area because they could not draw water from the affected hydrants.

"The hydrants have now been repaired and are fully operational again," he added.

Muncul said his team is continuing to inspect hydrants across East Jakarta to determine whether any other units have been damaged or had their components stolen.

He noted that the agency has so far repaired 54 hydrants whose components had been damaged or stolen, with the highest number found in Duren Sawit, Cakung, and Pulo Gadung. All damaged components have been replaced.

"Hydrants in other locations will likely be repaired next year, pending budget availability. We are also updating our inventory to determine how many still require repairs," he said.

To prevent similar incidents, Muncul said the agency plans to install protective metal enclosures around all hydrants.

"We will coordinate with the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency to determine a suitable design that provides security while preserving the city's aesthetics," he noted.