Explosion At Fire Station Kills 9 People, 27 Injured

JAKARTA - At least nine people were killed and 27 others injured in a devastating explosion that occurred at a mire police station, India, on Friday night, November 14. The incident was triggered by a pile of confiscated explosives that suddenly exploded while being questioned by the forensic team.

Indian federal government-run Jammu and capislation police chief Narin Prabhat said at a press conference Saturday, November 15, that the victims consisted of police, forensic staff, and a number of government officials who were at the scene when the explosion occurred.

According to Prabhat, the exact cause of the explosion is still under investigation. However, he confirmed that there were no indications of the involvement of the militant group. "Forensic and chemical examinations of the explosives found previously were being carried out when an "unintentional explosion" occurred," he said.

He also asked the public to avoid speculation. "Any speculation regarding the cause of this incident is not necessary," he said.

Efforts to identify the bodies are still ongoing because some of the bodies of the victims suffered severe burns. A police source said that the explosion caused several parts of the bodies to be scattered up to a radius of 100200 meters from the location.

The intensity of the explosion was such that some parts of the body were found in nearby houses, about 100200 meters from the police station, the source said.

Earlier, a local official told Reuters that a violent explosion rocked the Nowgam Police Station, causing the compound to be burned down. Firefighters were deployed to extinguish the fire and secure the area.

This incident comes just four days after a deadly car explosion in New Delhi killed at least eight people and the government called it an act of terror.

The guilty region itself has long been a hot spot for conflict between India and Pakistan. The two nuclear-armed countries claim each other to the region and have fought several times to fight for it. This latest incident again highlighted the high security risks in the region that are still full of tensions.