The victims are the ministry`s employees and construction workers, an official of the ministry, Supandi, said here on Sunday.
"We have a renovation at the 18th floor. Some construction workers are trapped there. While several ministry`s workers are seen at the 11th floor," he said.
According to Supandi, the fire might have started from the P5 and P6 parking lots where they kept the engine generator and servers.
The victims have sent messages through papers and cardboard, and threw them out from the window.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Ministry Djoko Sasono said the fire had already been extinguished by the fire fighters. "The minister and I have checked the situation at the location," he said.
The fire was detected at 3.30 a.m. and security officers on duty immediately switched off the electricity panel located at the first floor.
"The fire fighters arrived at around 4.00 a.m.," he added.
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has praised the fire fighters` quick respond to put out the fire.
As of 7.30 a.m, the fire fighters continued to search and evacuate the victims.
The evacuation process was hampered as many door accesses were locked.
Reported by Juwita/Rangga
(T.SYS/B/S022/A/R013)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
