Firefighter work to extinguish the blaze at the seven-story office building in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Tuesday. —XINHUA/VNA Photo

JAKARTA — A fire tore through a seven-story office building in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, leaving at least 20 people dead and several others feared trapped inside.

The fire has been extinguished and efforts to find more possible victims inside the building continue, said head of Central Jakarta Police Sr. Comr. Susatyo Purnomo Condro, as reported by Reuters.

The fire erupted on the first floor at around midday, Condro said, and then spread to the upper floors. Some of the employees were having lunch in the building at the time while others had left the office, he added.

Separately, Jakarta Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) head Isnawa Adji said authorities were still determining the cause of the blaze and assessing the extent of the damage.  

“The cause of the fire is still being investigated,” he was quoted by Tempo as saying.

At least 28 fire trucks and 101 personnel deployed to extinguish the fire.

The victims were taken to Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta for identification and treatment.

The building houses Terra Drone Indonesia, a company providing aerial survey drone services for clients in sectors ranging from mining to agriculture. THE JAKARTA POST/ANN