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A devastating blaze at a seven-storey office complex in Jakarta has led to the loss of at least 22 people, with emergency crews continuing their efforts for further victims.

Timeline of the Deadly Event

The inferno ignited on the afternoon of Tuesday, according to city police. Reports indicate that some employees were having lunch at the time the disaster started.

Police suspect the fire started following a battery exploded on the ground level, allowing the fire to quickly move through the building. The structure houses a firm that specializes in unmanned aerial vehicle technology.

"Most of the victims who perished were women, including one was expecting," said a senior spokesperson. "It is likely that they succumbed to smoke inhalation rather than burns."

Intense Response Efforts

Thick smoke billowed from the upper levels as firefighters deployed 28 engines and approximately 100 personnel. Dramatic footage showed stranded workers being evacuated using aerial ladders.

While the blaze has now been extinguished, rescue operations are concentrating on the top floors after completing an initial search of the lower floors.

Entry to the sixth level was reported to be "particularly difficult" for firefighters on site.

"Our teams are still collecting data," a spokesperson stated. "But for now, we are focusing on identifying the fatalities who have been found."

The business based in the building offers aerial services for commercial customers, ranging from aerial surveying and cartography to monitoring and farming applications.