In the following article we will discuss the fire at a Styrofoam warehouse belonging to PT. MSA in Tabanan, Bali, on October 15, 2025, which caused material losses of approximately Rp3 billion.
Key Points:
- Brief Chronology: The fire started at around 18.30 WITA, allegedly from a spark while the witness was grinding. The fire spread rapidly due to the highly flammable styrofoam material, destroying the building and stock, although there were no casualties.
- Risk Analysis & Risk Management: This fire is a warning because it was caused by several unmanaged risk factors, including:
- Storage of highly flammable materials (styrofoam) which requires a special protection system (sprinkler, anti-flame ventilation).
- Lack of adequate initial response (firefighters only arrived 20 minutes later), which is vital in high-risk materials fires.
- Unsafe work procedures (“hot work permit”) because the fire source is suspected to be from grinding activities near flammable materials.
- Lack of adequate Property and Business Interruption Insurance.
- Relevant Insurance Types: To protect businesses from similar losses, the recommended policies are:
- Property All Risks (PAR): Protects buildings, machinery and stock from various risks including fire.
- Fire Insurance: Minimum standard protection against fire, lightning, explosion, etc.
- Business Interruption (Loss of Profit) Insurance: Covers net profit losses and fixed costs due to the cessation of operations after a disaster.
- Public Liability Insurance: Covers compensation if a fire damages third party property.
- Vital Role of Insurance Broker (L&G Insurance Broker): The document emphasizes that insurance brokers work in the interests of clients, unlike insurance agents. Brokers on duty:
- Analyze specific business risks (including high risks such as styrofoam).
- Developing an appropriate insurance program, including adding special clauses.
- Accompany and negotiate in the claims process for fast and full payment.
The case of PT. MSA is a valuable lesson in the importance of rigorous fire risk management, regular safety audits, and professional insurance coverage to avoid post-disaster bankruptcy. L&G Insurance Broker offers free risk consultation services.
Contact L&G Insurance Broker now on 08118507773 for free consultation before risk.
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A massive fire engulfed a Styrofoam warehouse belonging to PT. MSA in Banjar Batanduren, Cepaka Village, Kediri District, Tabanan Regency, Bali, on Wednesday evening (10/15/2025) at around 6:30 p.m. WITA. The fire spread rapidly due to the highly flammable nature of Styrofoam, causing losses estimated at Rp 3 billion.
Although there were no fatalities, this incident serves as a stark warning to industrialists and warehouse owners across Indonesia: the risk of fire can strike at any time, even when all employees are taking precautions.
As an experienced insurance broker, L&G Insurance Broker views this case as a concrete example of the importance of property insurance protection and planned fire risk management, not just an administrative formality.
Brief Chronology of Events
Based on an official report from the Tabanan Police and CNN Indonesia news, the fire started at around 18.30 WITA.
Witness I Kade Budi Ariana smelled a pungent smoke while grinding. Turning around, he saw flames about five meters away. Because the warehouse contained a large amount of Styrofoam, the fire quickly grew and became difficult to control.
The witness and several coworkers attempted to extinguish the fire using whatever tools were available, but were unsuccessful. About 20 minutes later, the fire department arrived with six to seven fire trucks to control the blaze, which had spread to various parts of the building.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities or injuries, but material losses are estimated at Rp. 3 billion, including total damage to the building and the burned-out stock of styrofoam.
Until now, the police are still investigating the exact cause of the fire, although initial indications point to sparks resulting from welding or grinding activities near flammable materials.
Risk Analysis from a Risk Management Perspective
In the view of professional risk management, a fire like this is not just a “disaster,” but rather the result of a series of risk factors that were not properly controlled.
1. Highly Flammable Storage Materials
Styrofoam is a material made from polystyrene, a type of lightweight plastic that is highly flammable and emits thick, toxic smoke when burned.
Warehouses that store these materials have an extremely high fire risk level, so they require special protection systems such as:
- Automatic sprinkler with heat detector/smoke alarm,
- Anti-flame ventilation system,
- And safe work procedures for welding or grinding activities around the production area.
However, in many industrial cases in Indonesia, investing in fire protection systems is often considered expensive, even though the costs are far less than the potential losses of billions of rupiah, as in the case of PT. MSA.
2. Lack of Protection Systems and Early Response
Based on the chronology, the fire brigade only arrived 20 minutes after the fire appeared.
In the context of a fire involving a material such as styrofoam, 20 minutes is enough to destroy an entire building.
This means that the speed of initial response and the availability of fire extinguishing equipment in the warehouse are very important.
Without adequate APAR (light fire extinguishers) and employee training in initial handling, the chances of extinguishing a small fire before it grows are almost nonexistent.
3. Unsafe Work Procedures
The source of the fire is suspected to have come from grinding activities for which a hot work permit was required.
In industrial safety standards, activities that generate sparks must be carried out in separate areas or with special supervision and protective equipment around them.
Failure in “hot work” management is a classic cause of many warehouse fires in Indonesia.
4. Lack of Property & Business Interruption Insurance
Many industry players do not yet understand that property insurance not only protects buildings from fire, but also guarantees business continuity (business interruption) after a disaster.
In the case of PT. MSA, if the company hadn’t had comprehensive property insurance, it would have had to cover the entire Rp3 billion loss itself, and production would have been halted for months.
Types of Insurance Relevant in This Case
This styrofoam warehouse fire involved various risk aspects that should be covered by a combination of the following types of insurance policies:
1. Property All Risks (PAR) Insurance
Covers physical damage to buildings, machinery and stock due to the risks of fire, explosion, lightning and other hazards covered by the policy.
For a warehouse like PT. MSA, the insurance value must include:
- warehouse building,
- Styrofoam stick,
- Production machines or cutting tools,
- Office equipment.
Without PAR, business owners must bear all material losses themselves.
2. Fire Insurance
If the company has not used a broader PAR scheme, it must at least have Indonesian Standard Fire Insurance (PSAKBI) which covers the following risks:
- Fire,
- Lightning,
- Explosion,
- Airplane crash,
- Asap.
However, in the case of styrofoam warehouses, standard insurance is often not enough, because companies with flammable material risks are categorized as high hazard risks and require additional special clauses (extensions) from the insurance company.
3. Business Interruption (Loss of Profit) Insurance
After a major fire, businesses not only lose physical assets, but also revenue due to the cessation of operations.
This policy covers loss of net profit and fixed costs during the recovery period.
Example:
If PT. MSA is unable to operate for six months, with a monthly net profit of Rp250 million, the potential loss of profits could reach Rp1.5 billion, which should be covered by Business Interruption Insurance.
4. Public Liability Insurance
If the fire spreads to neighboring buildings or causes damage to third party property, then liability insurance will cover the compensation costs claimed by the other party.
5. Contractor’s Plant & Equipment (if there is heavy equipment)
Some industrial warehouses have cutting tools, machines, or forklifts that are of high value.
A Contractor’s Plant & Equipment (CPE) policy can protect these assets from the risk of fire, explosion, or mechanical damage.
Financial and Legal Implications
A loss of Rp. 3 billion is a large figure for a medium-sized business.
In addition to the physical loss of the building, the company will also face:
- Total production disruption,
- Potential termination of contract with client,
- Waste of time and energy for recovery,
- As well as financial pressure due to the lack of cash flow during recovery.
If a company is not properly insured, business recovery can be very slow or even lead to permanent bankruptcy.
The Role of Insurance Brokers in Managing Risk
Most industry players in Indonesia still misunderstand the role of insurance brokers. Many purchase policies directly from agents or insurance companies without understanding the details of the coverage.
In fact, in complex cases such as warehouse fires, insurance brokers play a vital role as professional risk advisors.
1. Brokers Side with Customers
Insurance brokers such as L&G Insurance Broker do not work for insurance companies, but for clients (customers).
We are on duty:
- Analyze business specific risks,
- Determine appropriate protection needs,
- Compare offers from different insurance companies,
- And ensure claims are paid in full and quickly when disaster strikes.
2. Brokers Develop Appropriate Protection Strategies
In the case of a styrofoam warehouse, the broker will:
- Conducting risk surveys and assessing the level of fire hazard,
- Recommend active and passive protection systems,
- Determine realistic insurance value,
- And add additional clauses such as fire spread, spontaneous combustion, or storage of flammable materials.
Without this guidance, many companies purchase policies that turn out not to cover their actual risks only to discover when claims are denied.
3. Brokers Assist in the Claims Process
When a disaster occurs, the claims process can be long and technical: from surveyors and loss adjusters, to preparing loss documents, to negotiating payments.
Brokers like L&G will:
- Prepare complete claim documents,
- Negotiating with insurance companies,
- And ensure payment according to the real loss value.
Without a broker, many customers struggle to navigate insurance bureaucracy on their own.
Why Not Go Through an Agent or Directly to the Insurance Company?
Many business owners still misunderstand the roles of insurance brokers and insurance agents. However, the two have very different positions and responsibilities.
Insurance agents, They work on behalf of insurance companies, not clients. This means their primary interest is selling specific insurance products assigned by their companies. Agents don’t have the authority to conduct in-depth risk analysis or design customized solutions for your business.
Insurance brokers, like L&G Insurance Broker, actually work in the interests of its clients (insured). Brokers are independent professionals officially licensed by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).
The broker’s job is not just to sell policies, but to help clients:
- Identify all risks that may arise in business.
- Develop the most efficient insurance program in terms of coverage and premiums.
- Choose a credible and risk-appropriate insurance company.
- Accompanying customers during the claims process until completion.
In other words, brokers are risk advisors and claims advisors.
In cases like this styrofoam warehouse fire, the broker’s role is to ensure that:
- The policy covers the risk of flammable materials.
- The insured value reflects the actual market price.
- The claims process was fast without any reason for rejection from the insurance company.
Meanwhile, if you buy insurance directly from the company or through an agent, it is very likely that the policy will not cover all the risks that actually exist in the field, because there is no comprehensive risk analysis before issuing the policy.
As a result, when a disaster such as a fire occurs, claims may be rejected or only partially paid.
Learning from the PT. MSA Case: Real Risks, Not Just Theory
This fire is a stark example of how a single spark can cause billions of rupiah in damage in a matter of minutes. If a company doesn’t have the right insurance protection, the impact could be even greater:
- Loss of physical assets (buildings, machinery, stock)
- Loss of trust of customers and business partners
- Cash flow disruption and potential bankruptcy
On the other hand, companies that have a comprehensive insurance program through a broker can recover more quickly.
The broker will immediately dispatch a claims team, assess the damage, prepare a report for the insurance company, and ensure that claims payments are made in accordance with the policy provisions.
The Strategic Role of Insurance Brokers like L&G
As an independent insurance broker with over 30 years of experience, L&G Insurance Broker has handled hundreds of industrial, factory, and warehouse fire claims throughout Indonesia.
The L&G team not only manages the police, but also:
- Prepare detailed claim reports to speed up the payment process.
- Accompanying customers from the beginning of the incident until the claim is completed.
- Provide risk analysis and recommendations for security system improvements.
This approach is what differentiates L&G from ordinary agents or direct purchasing.
For industrial companies that store high-risk materials such as styrofoam, chemicals, textiles, or plastics, working with a broker is a strategic step to protect the business and long-term assets.
Conclusion
The Styrofoam warehouse fire in Tabanan is a serious reminder that the risk of industrial fires remains very high in Indonesia.
A small error in the electrical system, a spark from work equipment, or simple negligence can trigger major losses.
Through a planned risk management approach, regular security audits, and professionally structured insurance coverage from brokers like L&G Insurance Broker, companies can ensure that their business remains secure even when disaster strikes unexpectedly.
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