An Astra Internasional Building located on Jalan Gaya Motor Raya No. 8, Sunter, North Jakarta, Friday (10/24), was gutted by a fire around 7.30 AM, Friday (10/24). There was no casualty reported in the incident.

I saw thick smoke from sixth floor. And hundreds of employees immediately running out of the building and going to a safer place

The fire broke out when smoke came out on the sixth floor of the building, precisely near a meeting room. It caused all astra employees panicked.

"I saw thick smoke from sixth floor. And hundreds of employees immediately running out of the building and going to a safer place," told Kusmiyanto (56), an witness.

PT Astra Internasional's Public Relation Staff, Ilham expressed that he initially heard the fire alarm around 7.30 AM. Yet the employees thought the alarm was only a simulation. "Employees began to panic when they saw the smoke Then we evacuate them to a safe place," he expressed.

Head of North Jakarta Fire and Disaster Handling Sub-Department, Frans Hodden Silalahi said as many as 12 fire trucks deployed to the scene. "We had difficulties to find fire hotspot, but it can be controlled two hours later," he explained.

According to him, the fire incident is triggered by electricity short-circuit on the sixth floor of the building. Meanwhile, some firemen who carry an oxygen tank rushed into the building and also broke the four-point glass on the top floor of the building.