A fire broke out in a house and six private boarding house units located on Jl. Besika Jaya Parit 1, Pulau Burung Village, Pulau Burung District, Indragiri Hilir Regency (Inhil), Riau on Tuesday, March 4, 2024, at approximately 4:30 PM WIB.Mustakin, the owner of the boarding house, immediately reported to the Head of Hamlet (Kadus) of Parit 1, who then forwarded the report to the local Military Command (Koramil) and the Pulau Burung Police Sector, and subsequently coordinated with the firefighting team of PT Riau Sakti United Plantations (PT RSUP).
With a quick and responsive action, the PT RSUP firefighting team arrived at the location to extinguish the fire. However, due to the buildings being predominantly made of wooden planks, the fire rapidly spread throughout the house and boarding house units.The fire completely destroyed six boarding house units, with two units occupied and the other four vacant. Based on initial information, the fire was suspected to have originated from one of the vacant boarding house units due to an electrical short circuit.
The PT RSUP Firefighting Team was very helpful in the extinguishing efforts, deploying 20 personnel to the scene. Thanks to their swift action and good coordination, the fire was extinguished in approximately two hours after the information was received, preventing it from spreading to other areas.As a form of concern for the victims, PT RSUP and the Bahtera Dwipa Abadi Foundation (YBDA) distributed disaster relief aid on March 5, 2025. The aid consisted of basic necessities and daily needs, as well as wearable clothing, which were directly provided to the affected victims. The aid was handed over by the YBDA team along with representatives from the Pulau Burung Police Sector, representatives from the 0314-11 Pulau Burung Military Command, and the Public Relations of PT RSUP.
The Public Relations of PT RSUP, Andy Ferrial, expressed that the company was deeply saddened by the disaster and committed to assisting the affected community. "We hope that the assistance provided can alleviate the burden of the victims and help them through this difficult time. PT RSUP, as part of the Sambu Group, will continue to strive to support the surrounding community," he said.
Sambu Group, as a Domestic Investment (PMDN) company, has a concern and care for the disasters that befall the communities around its business locations. Meanwhile, Erianto, the coordinator of YBDA for the Pulau Burung region, added that his party would continue to coordinate with various parties to provide the necessary assistance to the fire victims. "We want to ensure that the victims receive sufficient and targeted assistance. Hopefully, they can recover from this incident soon," he stated.
Mustakin, an affected resident, expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided. "We are very grateful to PT RSUP and YBDA for their care and assistance in this difficult situation. Hopefully, this assistance can alleviate our burden of losing our homes and belongings," he said. This incident serves as a reminder to the community of the importance of vigilance against potential fires, especially in settlements with flammable wooden buildings. It is hoped that preventive measures can be improved to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.