Massive Landfill Fire Engulfs Jakarta Outskirts, Triggering Health Crisis and Mass Evacuations

A fire has raged for over a week at the Jatiwaringin landfill on the outskirts of Jakarta, consuming more than 15 hectares of waste and blanketing surrounding communities in hazardous smoke.

The blaze, which ignited on June 30, has forced hundreds of residents to flee their homes as air quality plummeted to dangerous levels. Health officials report a sharp rise in respiratory ailments, prompting a massive deployment of helicopters, water tankers, bulldozers, and drones in a bid to contain the inferno by week’s end.

While authorities express optimism about extinguishing the flames soon, environmental advocates argue the disaster exposes a deepening waste management crisis. They characterize the fire as an ecological catastrophe born of systemic neglect.

Strong winds fanned a small initial spark into a multi-front conflagration, particularly in areas where refuse is piled high and difficult for crews to access. Thick, black smoke has inundated nearby neighborhoods for days, though the Environment Ministry notes pollution levels have begun to moderate recently.

Local resident Sarmanah, 45, described the terrifying conditions that drove her and her child from their home. “The smoke was so thick you couldn’t see anyone,” she said. “It stings the nose, makes you cough and have a runny nose, and makes you unable to breathe… We were forced to leave the house because we couldn’t take it anymore.”

Hundreds of others have sought refuge in government-run shelters. Tosiyani, 37, said she was barred from returning home because “the smoke contains toxic gas.”

Source link