Tragic Fire Claims Life of Indonesian Audit Board Member Haerul Saleh in South Jakarta Home
A devastating fire broke out early Friday morning, May 8, 2026, at the South Jakarta residence of Haerul Saleh, a prominent member of the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK RI). The blaze, which was confined to the fourth floor of his home in the Tanjung Barat Indah complex, Jagakarsa, tragically resulted in Saleh’s death. The fourth floor housed his personal workspace, where the fire is believed to have originated.
The incident began to unfold around 7:53 AM WIB when local neighborhood officials (RT) received a frantic report of the fire. The alarm was raised by three of Haerul Saleh’s relatives who had descended from the fourth floor, shouting for help after discovering the blaze. Assisted by Harpen, the 36-year-year-old household guard, they immediately rushed to the fourth floor armed with fire extinguishers (APAR).
Thick, black smoke billowed from the fourth floor as they ascended. Tragically, Haerul Saleh was discovered unconscious amidst the smoke. Harpen later stated, “Perhaps due to the smoke, he lost consciousness.”
Responding swiftly to the emergency, the Jakarta Selatan Fire and Rescue Agency (Gulkarmat Jakarta Selatan) deployed 12 units and 48 personnel to the scene at 8:07 AM WIB. While firefighters began their efforts to contain and extinguish the flames, Haerul Saleh was immediately transported to RSUD Pasar Minggu by ambulance.
By 8:49 AM WIB, the fire had been completely extinguished by the fire department. Preliminary investigations by Gulkarmat suggested the fire may have been caused by thinner residue from recent renovations within the home.
At 10:55 AM WIB, police arrived at the scene, conducting their initial assessment. Officers were observed entering and exiting the property, and a strong, pungent odor lingered in the air, detectable even at the front of the house. The Jagakarsa Police Chief, Kompol Nurma Dewi, confirmed that the fire was contained solely to the fourth floor and did not spread to other levels of the residence.
Further investigation commenced at 12:47 PM WIB with the arrival of a forensic team from the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim Polri). They meticulously began their crime scene investigation on the fourth floor. The Head of the South Jakarta Metro Police, Kombes Pol I Putu Yuni Setiawan, explained, “The crime scene upstairs is currently being processed. Therefore, all items found upstairs will be taken to the forensic laboratory to determine their contents, flammability, and other relevant factors.”
By 1:25 PM WIB, Haerul Saleh’s body had been transferred to the funeral home on Jalan Kartika Utama, Pondok Pinang, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. He was then placed in a hearse for transport to Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta. From there, he was flown to his hometown in Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi, for his final burial.
Haerul Saleh had served as the IV Member of the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK RI) since April 2022. A native of Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi, he had a distinguished career in public service, previously serving as a Member of the House of Representatives (DPR) following the 2014 and 2019 general elections before his appointment to the BPK in 2022.
Summary
A fire tragically claimed the life of Haerul Saleh, a member of the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK RI), at his South Jakarta residence on May 8, 2026. The blaze originated on the fourth floor, which housed his personal workspace. Relatives and a household guard attempted to combat the fire with extinguishers but found Saleh unconscious amidst thick smoke. He was subsequently transported to the hospital, but sadly, he did not survive.
Firefighters responded rapidly, extinguishing the fire by 8:49 AM WIB. Preliminary findings suggest thinner residue from renovations may have caused the incident. Police and a forensic team from the Criminal Investigation Unit later arrived to process the scene on the fourth floor. Haerul Saleh, who had a distinguished career as a former member of the House of Representatives before joining the BPK, was transported to his hometown for burial.