AN OFFICE fire has killed at least 22 people in Indonesia, including a pregnant woman, in a tragic lunchtime blaze.
Police said flames engulfed the seven-story building in central Jakarta around midday.
The fire is believed to have started on the first floor of the building before spreading to other floors, Central Jakarta police chief Susatyo Purnomo Condro said.
The building, in the Kemayoran neighbourhood, is understood to be a sales and storage office for a drone company and many employees were on their lunch break.
Anxious families of the workers flocked to the scene to learn if their loved ones were safe.
Hundreds of personnel and 29 fire trucks were deployed to try to contain the blaze.
TEEN ‘MURDER’
Girl, 14, lured into woods before being shot dead by two teens, 14 and 16
DRUG STRIKE
Moment US sniper opens fire on narco boat before seizing massive cocaine haul
Tragically, the bodies of seven men and 15 women, including a pregnant woman, were recovered from the building.
Condro said emergency services would “comb” through the offices again when it was safe to do so.
More than a dozen trapped employees were evacuated from the sixth floor using an emergency ladder extended by firefighters.
Each person had to be lowered one-by-one from the building, and several struggled to breathe because of the thick smoke while waiting for their turn.
Some of those rescued suffered minor injuries, but were in a “weak and traumatised” condition, it has been reported.
The remains of those not so fortunate have been taken to the police hospital in East Jakarta for identification.
Authorities said most of the victims died from smoke inhalation.
Emergency services contained the blaze in three hours and the cause is under investigation.
However, a survivor told local media they suspected a short circuit or thermal failure in a drone battery triggered an explosion and fire.
Firefighters are cooling down the scene and waiting for the thick smoke to clear.
It is understood the building is rented by PT Terra Drone Indonesia, a company that provides unmanned aerial vehicle technology for various industrial sectors such as construction, mining, oil and gas, energy, plantations and urban planning.