TULUNGAGUNG – A major sugar mill fire in Tulungagung shut down production activities after flames swept through a sugar processing facility in Sambijajar Village, Sumbergempol District, on Monday afternoon.
The blaze triggered panic among nearby residents as thick black smoke rose high above the factory complex. Witnesses said the fire spread quickly through part of the production area within minutes.
Tulungagung firefighters rushed to the scene shortly after receiving emergency reports from local residents. Meanwhile, fire crews battled the flames for hours as the fire continued burning inside the facility.
Sumbergempol Police Chief AKP Moh. Anshori said authorities received the first report at around 2 p.m. local time.
“Residents reported a fire at the sugar mill around 2 p.m., and officers immediately coordinated with firefighters at the location,” Anshori said.
According to witness statements, smoke first appeared from inside the main processing building. Residents initially thought the smoke came from routine factory activity. However, they quickly realized the fire had already started spreading inside the production section.
“One witness saw smoke coming from behind the building. After checking the area, they found that a fire had already broken out,” he added.
Firefighters focused on preventing the flames from reaching nearby homes located close to the factory site. Strong heat and burning materials complicated efforts to contain the blaze during the emergency response.
Police conducted an initial crime scene investigation after firefighters brought the situation under control. Investigators suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the fire.
“Preliminary findings point to an electrical short circuit. There were no casualties,” Anshori said.
Although no injuries or deaths occurred, the fire destroyed several important production assets inside the factory. Damaged equipment included parts of the building structure, electrical installation panels, and sugar filtering machines.
The fire also threatened around two tons of ready-to-sell sugar stored inside the production area. Furthermore, officers continue checking the condition of the sugar stock after completing the cooling process.
Authorities estimated material losses at around Rp 200 million, or roughly $12,000. Police are still gathering additional evidence to determine the exact cause of the incident.
The fire temporarily halted operations at the sugar mill, raising concerns about production disruptions in the area. Local authorities have urged factory operators to improve electrical safety systems to prevent similar incidents in the future.