Multiple Parties Join Forces to Help Contain Fire in Bantan Village

Membalong, Belitung, 23 September 2026 - Residents of Air Malik Hamlet, Bantan Village, Membalong District, Belitung, joined forces with the local government, security personnel and the private sector to speed up the response to a fire that broke out in the area. The blaze, reported at around 10.00 am local time, was brought under control roughly two hours later.

PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya (PBB), part of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, stepped in to help as soon as it learned of the fire and received a request for assistance from the village government. The company's team quickly coordinated with the relevant authorities and sent personnel and equipment to the scene.

The support deployed by the company included one fire truck with an 8,000 litre capacity, one patrol vehicle with a 1,000 litre capacity, and ten firefighters along with two support staff.

On the ground, PBB's firefighting team worked alongside local residents, the Koramil (military district command) and Polsek Membalong (subdistrict police) to bring the fire under control. The flames were fully extinguished by around 12.00 pm. Initial estimates suggest the fire affected an area of about 0.4 hectares.

Indrawansyah, Camat (subdistrict head) of Membalong, praised the support given by PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya in tackling the fire. "We are grateful for PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya's support in helping to handle the fire in Desa Bantan. Involvement from businesses like this strengthens our readiness at the local level, especially when extra resources are needed to deal with emergencies," said Indrawansyah.

Meanwhile, Suhandi, Kepala Desa (village head) of Bantan, said that a swift deployment of resources was crucial to stopping the fire from spreading. "In situations like this, what matters most is getting the fire under control quickly. The extra personnel and vehicles provided by PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya helped speed up the firefighting effort so the blaze could be brought under control sooner," said Suhandi.

Ismail Arsyad, Regional Controller for Bangka Belitung at Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, said that dealing with fires calls for both a rapid response and close cooperation between all parties involved. "Handling fires requires a fast response and cooperation from many parties. We are committed to continuing to build strong coordination with the government and the community, so that whenever situations like this arise, support can be provided quickly according to what is needed on the ground," he said.

Similar collaborative efforts to tackle fires have taken place before in other parts of Kecamatan Membalong. PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya, together with PT Forestalestari Dwikarya (FLD), also part of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, has previously supported firefighting efforts in Desa Pasar, Perpat and Membalong by deploying personnel and equipment and coordinating with the local government, security forces and community.

This cooperation has also been strengthened through various efforts to address the effects of the prolonged dry season. The company has distributed 6,000 litres of clean water to residents around Membalong and taken part in a forest and land fire (karhutla) readiness gathering alongside stakeholders across Bangka Belitung.

Through ongoing readiness and stronger coordination, PT Palmindo Billiton Berjaya and PT Forestalestari Dwikarya remain committed to supporting fire prevention and response efforts around their operational areas. Collaboration with the government, security forces and the community remains a vital part of protecting the environment while strengthening collective readiness against fire risk, particularly during the dry season.