Friday, 04 September 2026
PEMATANGSIANTAR | INDATANEWS.COM - A major fire broke out on Saturday night, August 22, 2026, engulfing at least five shop houses (Ruko) along Jalan Bandung in Dwikora, Siantar Barat District, Pematangsiantar. The flames erupted at around 10:00 p.m. local time and quickly spread, engulfing several sections of the buildings and threatening nearby shop houses.
Firefighters from the Pematangsiantar City Fire and Rescue Service (Disdamkarmat) immediately rushed to the scene after receiving the fire alarm. Upon arrival, firefighters were confronted with towering flames and thick black smoke.
The fire engulfed several businesses selling household furniture, carpets, foam and various other highly flammable materials. The materials stored inside the premises caused the flames to intensify rapidly and made firefighting operations more difficult.
The fire continued into the early hours of Sunday, August 23, 2026. At one point, the massive flames also threatened other buildings in the surrounding area and spread toward Jalan Cipto.
Head of the Pematangsiantar Disdamkarmat, Herri Okstarizal SH MH, said his agency deployed six fire trucks to battle the blaze.
The Disdamkarmat firefighters were assisted by the Simalungun Regency Fire Department, the STTC fire brigade and the Brimob unit. In total, 15 fire trucks from various institutions were deployed at the scene to bring the flames under control.
"The firefighting operation was carried out on a large scale, with emergency vehicles from various institutions working together," he said.
Firefighters worked for more than three hours before the blaze was completely extinguished. The large quantity of burned materials required an extensive and intensive firefighting operation.
As the flames continued to grow, firefighters also had to prevent the fire from spreading to other buildings along the row of businesses.
Rencus Sitompul, head of the Human Resources Division at the Pematangsiantar Disdamkarmat, said the materials stored inside the shop houses were a major factor behind the rapid spread of the fire.
"The materials stored in the shops were highly flammable, including rubber, adhesive, foam and materials used to manufacture mattresses and furniture. That was why the fire spread so quickly," he said.
According to him, the presence of these materials forced firefighters to deal with flames of high intensity. Materials such as rubber, adhesive and foam can further accelerate the spread of fire.
The situation at the scene was also complicated by the large number of residents who gathered to watch the firefighting operation. The crowd at times obstructed access for firefighters and fire trucks to reach the source of the blaze.
Firefighters therefore had to work in confined and heavily congested conditions to ensure that emergency vehicles could move freely and that firefighting operations could continue. Assistance from additional fire units helped keep the flames under control and prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.
After more than three hours of intensive firefighting, emergency personnel finally extinguished all remaining flames. They subsequently carried out further measures to ensure that no embers or residual hotspots remained that could potentially trigger another fire.
No fatalities were reported in the incident. However, the fire damaged at least five shop houses where various types of furniture and highly flammable materials were sold or stored.
The relevant authorities are still assessing the damage to determine the total material losses. As of the completion of the firefighting operation, no official estimate of the financial damage had been released.
The fire drew considerable attention from residents of Siantar Barat District. Local residents described the incident as one of the larger fires to have occurred along the commercial row on Jalan Bandung in recent years.
The towering flames and thick smoke created a tense atmosphere in the surrounding area. Residents along Jalan Bandung watched as emergency personnel from various institutions continued working into the early hours of Sunday to ensure that the fire did not reignite or spread to additional buildings.
The incident also serves as a reminder for business owners who store flammable materials to strengthen fire-safety measures and preventive precautions. The swift response by firefighters, along with support from fire trucks belonging to various institutions, was crucial in preventing the blaze from spreading further into surrounding residential and commercial areas. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Saifan Anwar Lubis | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
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