Sandal factory in Tangerang burns for over 12 hours

A significant fire erupted at PT Murni Karetindo Lestari, a sandal and rubber factory in Tangerang, Indonesia, burning for more than 12 hours. The blaze, which began Sunday night, June 21, 2026, continued to rage into Monday, sending thick plumes of black smoke, laced with burnt rubber particles, into the air.

The intensity of the fire necessitated the intervention of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to assist in evacuating residents and distributing masks. The smoke caused respiratory distress in the surrounding community. Factory employees were seen desperately trying to combat the flames with available hoses, even without specialized equipment, as the fire reignited in several spots.

According to the Head of Emergency and Logistics for the Tangerang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Andia Rahman, the fire department received the report at 10:31 PM WIB. Upon arrival, firefighters found three production buildings engulfed in flames, including areas containing raw rubber materials, finished sandals, and chemical components. The primary concern for the 95 firefighters deployed, supported by TNI, Polri, and the local health agency, was preventing the fire from spreading to adjacent structures, given the abundance of flammable materials on site.

Mahdiar, Head of the BPBD Kota Tangerang, noted the difficulty in extinguishing the fire due to the large quantities of combustible materials, primarily related to sandal production. While emergency services continue their efforts in containment and cooling, the cause of the massive fire remains under investigation by the authorities.