Fire Burns 11 Kios and Kontrakan in Jelarai Tanjung Selor, Police Investigate Alleged Source of Fire

TANJUNG SELOR - A massive fire that hit a row of kiosks and rented houses in the Telur Pecah area, Jalan Jelarai, Tanjung Selor, Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan on Friday (30/1/2026) at around 18.30 WITA. Now it is the attention of the Bulungan Police, at least 11 buildings were engulfed in flames and triggered panic among the surrounding residents.

The head of the Bulungan Police, Kombes Pol Rofikoh Yunianto, S.I.K., through the P.S. Kasubsi PIDM Sihumas Bulungan Police, Aipda Hadi Purnomo revealed that the fire quickly devoured the buildings around it, allegedly due to the activity of copying pertalite type fuel oil (BBM) at one of the grocery kiosks which also sells retail fuel. The spill of BBM from the jerigen is said to have accelerated the spread of fire to other buildings that were adjacent.

"Joint officers from the Bulungan Regency Fire Department and the Kaltara Province, assisted by the TNI, Polri, Satpol PP, and residents, struggled to put out the fire. A number of fleets were deployed, including fire trucks, AWC, and tactical vehicles belonging to the police. The fire was finally controlled at around 19.40 WITA in the evening," said Hadi.

He explained that as many as 11 kiosks and contractors that were burned were known to be buildings owned by Hasan, a resident of Rawau Payau, Tanjung Selor, who was rented to traders and residents. The material losses due to this fire are estimated to be around Rp. 900 million. There were no casualties in the incident," he explained.

"Personnel are still at the location with the PMK conducting handling and security. Later, if there is further development, we will convey it," he continued.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Bulungan Police, AKP Haji Rio Adi Pratama, said that the police had received a report of the fire. However, the examination of witnesses and reporters can only be carried out on Saturday (31/1/2026).

"For witnesses and reporters, today only an examination was carried out, because the witnesses and reporting victims are still in a state of trauma," said Rio.

He added that some witnesses were victims of the fire, so it took time to recover before being questioned.

"The report of the fire has been received. But because some of the witnesses are victims of the fire, so today in the afternoon they can only be questioned," he said.

"Currently, the location of the incident has been marked by the police line by the Bulungan Police Criminal Investigation Unit for the purpose of investigation," he concluded.