2025 Waru Wora Traditional Village fire
Fire at 28 traditional houses in Waru Wora Village, Patiala Bawa Village, Lamboya District, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara on December 5, 2025. | |
| Date | December 5, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | Approximately 16:00 WITA (Central Indonesia Time) |
| Venue | Waruwora Traditional Village |
| Location | Patiala Bawa Village, Lamboya District, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia |
| Type | Fire (Disaster) |
| Cause | Under investigation (Allegedly originated from sparks from one of the houses) |
| First reporter | Residents passing by to collect wood |
| Participants | Residents, Village Officials, Lamboya District Government, Police, Water Tanker Trucks |
| Outcome | Fire successfully extinguished; Large material losses; 41 Households lost their homes |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Property damage | 28 traditional houses burned (26 completely destroyed, 2 partially burned); Material losses amounted to millions of rupiah |
| Displaced | 139 people (41 Households) |
| Inquiries | West Sumba Resort Police |
| Traditional houses made of thatch, wood, and bamboo accelerated the fire spread. | |
The Waruwora Traditional Village Fire was a disaster that struck the traditional settlement in Patiala Bawa Village, Lamboya District, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia, on December 5, 2025.[1] The incident burned down dozens of traditional houses and resulted in hundreds of people losing their homes.[2]
Waruwora Traditional Village is an important cultural site in West Sumba that holds historical value and traditions of the Lamboya community.[3] The area is known for its tower-shaped traditional houses with roofs made of thatch (ilalang) and walls made of wood and bamboo.[4] A total of 36 traditional houses existed in the village before the fire incident.[5]
The fire incident
Chronology
The fire occurred on Friday afternoon, December 5, 2025, around 16:00 WITA (Central Indonesia Time). The fire was first seen burning the back roof of one resident's house, belonging to Marsel Yeru.[6]
Passing residents saw the flames and immediately shouted for help. Independent efforts to extinguish the fire by residents and witnesses were made by climbing onto the roofs and tearing off the burning thatch. However, the easily flammable materials of the traditional houses, such as thatch, wood, and bamboo, caused the fire to spread rapidly. Within minutes, the flames spread to neighboring houses.[7]
Joint officers, consisting of residents, village officials, the district government, and the Police, arrived at the location. Firefighting efforts were supported by three water tanker trucks. The fire was only brought under control around 17:45 WITA, and officers continued cooling down the area until nightfall to prevent the fire from reigniting.[8]
Impact
The fire disaster resulted in no fatalities. However, material losses are estimated to be substantial, reaching millions of rupiah.[9]
The main impacts of the fire include:
- Building Damage: A total of 28 traditional houses were burned, with 26 houses completely destroyed and 2 houses partially burned.
- Affected Victims: A total of 41 Households (KK) with 139 people lost their homes.
Cause
As of several days after the incident, the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Police. Initial speculation points to sparks, which originated from the back roof of one of the houses when several residents came to the village to collect wood for pig pens.[10]
Post-fire and recovery
Handling of victims
A total of 139 residents who lost their homes were forced to temporarily evacuate to the houses of nearby relatives.[11]
The West Sumba Regency Government and the Social Service immediately responded by distributing emergency aid. The assistance provided included basic necessities (staple foods) and household furniture. The local government also prepared clean water facilities through the Public Works Department and planned to provide temporary shelter for the affected residents.[12]
Recovery plan
The local government, through the Regent of West Sumba, promised long-term recovery steps, including the renovation of the burned traditional houses.[13] Furthermore, the government conducted an inventory of the damage, including cultural artifacts that were successfully saved, as part of the effort to document and plan the restoration of the cultural village.[14]
Despite the disaster, the West Sumba Tourism Agency stated that tourist visits to the Waruwora Traditional Village, both domestic and international, were unaffected and remained high.[15]
Reference
- ^ "28 Rumah Adat Terbakar di Kampung Waruwora Lamboya Sumba Barat, 139 Jiwa Kehilangan Tempat Tinggal". mediahub.polri.go.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Bria, Yufengki. "28 Rumah Adat di Kampung Waru Wora Sumba Terbakar Hebat, 139 Jiwa Terdampak". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Cahyani, Septiyanti Dwi. "Kronologi Kebakaran 28 Rumah Adat di Sumba Barat yang Sebabkan 139 Warga Kehilangan Tempat Tinggal - Akurat Sumsel". Kronologi Kebakaran 28 Rumah Adat di Sumba Barat yang Sebabkan 139 Warga Kehilangan Tempat Tinggal - Akurat Sumsel (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Tena, Yanto. "28 Rumah Adat di Sumba Barat Ludes Dilalap Api, Warga Berhamburan Selamatkan Diri". Pikiran Rakyat NTT (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Mula, Putra F. D. Bali (2025-12-06). "Kampung Adat di Sumba Barat Terbakar, 41 Keluarga Kehilangan Rumah". IDN Times NTB (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ "Kronologi Kebakaran Hebat di Sumba Barat dan Kondisi Terkini Kampung Adat Waru Wora". Narasi Tv (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Nurzaman, Faqih (2025-12-07). "Kampung Adat Waru Wora Sumba Barat Terbakar Hebat, Anak-anak Trauma dan Kehilangan Perlengkapan Sekolah" [The traditional village of Waru Wora in West Sumba was badly burned, leaving children traumatised and without school supplies]. liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Bria, Yufengki. "Kebakaran Kampung Adat Waru Wora Tak Pengaruhi Kunjungan Wisata". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Bria, Yufengki. "Ratusan Warga Terdampak Kebakaran di Waru Wora Sumba Mengungsi ke Tetangga". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Bria, Yufengki. "Bupati Pastikan Kampung Adat Waru Wora Segera Diperbaiki Setelah Kebakaran". detikbali (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Mawaddah, Ulfa, Video Kampung Waru Wora Terbakar, Kemenbud Bakal Dilibatkan untuk Pemugaran (in Indonesian), retrieved 2025-12-09
- ^ MPN, Redaksi (2025-12-08). "Kampung Adat Waru Wora Dilalap Api, Bupati Janjikan Perbaikan Segera". MPN Indonesia. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Ariyani, Adinda Faradilla. "Kampung Adat Waruwora yang Terbakar Bakal Direnovasi - NTT Express". Kampung Adat Waruwora yang Terbakar Bakal Direnovasi - NTT Express (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ "Kampung Adat Waru Wora Dilalap Api, 42 KK Kehilangan Tempat Tinggal". radarbangsa.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.
- ^ Riani, Asnida (2025-12-09). "Hotel Bintang 5 Galang Donasi untuk Kampung Adat Waru Wora di Sumba yang Dilanda Kebakaran Hebat" [5-Star Hotel Raises Donations for the Waru Wora Traditional Village in Sumba Hit by a Major Fire]. liputan6.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2025-12-09.