"Eight people were evacuated following the fire. Three died, likely trapped in rooms during the blaze," Acting Head of the Makassar Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) M.Fadli said early Saturday.
The deceased included Sarinawati, 26, a council staff member whose charred body was found and taken to Bayangkara Hospital. Syaiful, 43, a Ujung Tanah subdistrict staffer, died from burn injuries at Grestelina Hospital.
Abay, a male council employee, died at the scene, also severely burned, he said, adding that two victims remain in critical condition.
They are Budi Haryati, 30, who is in a coma at Primaya Hospital, and Heriyanto, 28, who sustained serious injuries after jumping from the fourth floor.
Moderate injuries were reported in three others. Sahabuddin, 45, suffered hip injuries after jumping from the second floor. Arif Rahman Hakim, 28, was struck by a rock. Agus Setiawan, 32, sustained back injuries.
All are being treated at local hospitals, Fadli said.
Emergency efforts involved the BPBD, fire department, city and provincial health offices, and volunteer search and rescue teams.
By 3:20 a.m. local time on Saturday, crowds remained at the scene. Looting was reported, with individuals stripping the charred building of valuables including vehicle parts, electronics, and air conditioner components.
Dozens of vehicles were also torched during the chaos, which followed a legislative plenary session, drawing a large crowd and triggering unrest tied to broader national grievances.
Eyewitnesses said the attack began suddenly Friday afternoon when Molotov cocktails were thrown, followed by an assault on the council office.
Despite a police presence, looting continued into Saturday morning. "Better to sell than let it go to waste," said Amran, a local resident salvaging metal from burned-out cars.
The scene has since turned into a grim spectacle, with residents photographing the fire-ravaged building and torched vehicles.
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Translator: M.Darwin F, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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