Staff dormitory and cold storage gutted in Benoa Port fire

Denpasar — — A staff dormitory and associated cold storage facility belonging to PT Sumber Nelayan at Benoa Port were gutted by fire on Thursday night, 3 September 2026, with eight fire engines deployed to the scene according to police and local media reports.

The blaze broke out at a two-storey building on Jalan Ikan Tuna III in the port’s western dock area at around 8:30 p.m. WITA, initially spreading from the second floor of the staff mess. Units from the Denpasar municipal fire service and port operator Pelindo were mobilised to tackle the flames.

Police said there were no fatalities in the incident, although the building used as a dormitory and fish cold storage was extensively damaged. The total material losses have not yet been determined, and authorities continue to investigate the cause.

Security guard raised the alarm

According to a statement from the Denpasar city police public relations office, the fire was first noticed by a security guard identified as Julius Niba, 52, who was on duty at the front of the PT Sumber Nelayan office area.

The guard reported hearing shouts and cries from the direction of the dormitory, which is located behind the office building. When he went to check, he saw flames already spreading on the second floor of the mess and alerted police and the fire service.

Local media reports state that seven fire engines from the Denpasar municipal fire department and one from Pelindo were dispatched, with firefighters and police working together to contain the blaze. The fire was brought under control and fully extinguished at around 10:45 p.m. WITA, according to police statements cited by several outlets.

Cause under investigation

Police and port authorities are still investigating the origin of the fire. A police spokesperson said the exact cause and the value of the material damage remain under assessment.

An official from the Bali police water and air unit told local media that early witness accounts pointed to the fire starting near an electrical extension cable (cable roll) on the second floor of the mess, before spreading to a mattress and then on to the cold storage area. However, the spokesperson emphasised that the definitive cause would be determined after further forensic examination.

In a separate account, the Denpasar police public relations unit stated that the blaze damaged the two-storey building used both as staff accommodation and cold storage for processed squid. Police said the case would be coordinated with forensic specialists from the regional police laboratory.

Fire at working port facility

The PT Sumber Nelayan complex is located within the working area of Benoa Port, where staff housing, processing facilities and access roads are concentrated. Local reports did not specify whether port operations were disrupted beyond the immediate emergency response around the affected building.

Authorities have not released details on how many workers use the mess facility or whether alternative accommodation has been arranged while repairs and investigations proceed. No injuries or deaths had been reported by police as of Friday, 4 September 2026.

Police said further inquiries would focus on confirming the fire’s cause and calculating the full extent of the material losses to the company.

Sources

• Tribun Bali
• Bali Post
• Radar Badung (Jawapos)
• JPNN Bali