DENPASAR, BALINEWS — A fire broke out at a house used as a chicken slaughtering facility on Jalan Cempaka Putih, Gang Kelapa, Kesiman, Denpasar, on Monday morning, October 5, 2026.
The fire was reported at around 8:40 a.m. local time. Witnesses said flames were first seen coming from a small hut or shelter located near the house and quickly spread to other parts of the property.
Lutfi, 47, a resident living nearby, said he heard neighbors shouting that a fire had broken out at around 8:45 a.m. When he went outside, he saw flames coming from the hut, which was used as a resting and sleeping area.
Lutfi and other residents attempted to extinguish the flames using buckets of water. However, the fire rapidly intensified, fueled by the hut's plywood construction and strong winds at the time.
Residents then contacted the Denpasar Fire and Rescue Service. Firefighters, along with personnel from the military, police, the Regional Disaster Management Agency's emergency response team and local volunteers, responded to the scene.
Another witness, 21-year-old Siti Lailatul Fitrian, said she heard residents calling for help before seeing the hut already engulfed in flames. She immediately asked nearby residents to help put out the fire before going to pick up the owner, Rohmawati, who was selling goods at Renon Market at the time.
Rohmawati, 28, returned to the property with the witness and attempted to extinguish the fire using a water hose. The effort was unsuccessful because the hose was not long enough.
The fire destroyed several vehicles and pieces of equipment belonging to the victim. Items reported to have been burned included a white Daihatsu Ayla with registration number DK 1572 BB, three Honda Vario motorcycles and a chicken-cleaning machine.
The police estimated the total losses at approximately Rp300 million, while the Denpasar Fire and Rescue Service put the estimated losses at around Rp250 million. The burned area was estimated at approximately 200 square meters.
Initial reports gave differing accounts regarding the suspected cause of the fire. Police said the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical short circuit at the resting hut, where electrical devices were used. Meanwhile, the fire department's initial report listed an electric mosquito repellent as the suspected source.
No fatalities were reported in the incident. Rohmawati and her child have been evacuated to a relative's home and are temporarily staying there.
Authorities are continuing to document the incident and assess the circumstances surrounding the fire.
