The mosque of the Islamic Center in Jakarta, Indonesia, was engulfed in flames this Wednesday (19). The damage to the structure caused by the fire was critical and caused the dome of the building to fall.
A large column of dark smoke could be seen rising in the sky over Koja, a district in the north of the country’s capital. The first report of the fire emerged around 3 pm local time (5 am in Brasília), when videos of the flames also began to circulate on social media.
In scenes captured by residents and released by the Jakarta fire department, it is possible to see the fire consuming the dome structure on the third floor of the building, which still collapses in flames.
According to the Jakarta Globe newspaper, the building was undergoing renovations, and the number of employees at the time of the fire was lower than usual. Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly afterwards and managed to contain the fire.
Police said there were no injuries. The extent of the damage to the Islamic Center in Jakarta has not yet been estimated, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Images posted on social media showed rubble and ash inside the complex, after the dome had collapsed. Materials still burning fell under the stone floor of the mosque’s lobby.
The temple and complex are coordinated by the Jakarta Development Center for Islamic Studies, which promotes religious events and activities — in Indonesia, Muslims make up 90% of the population.
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