Police Investigate 11 Witnesses of Fireworks Explosion Incident in Situbondo

The location of the firecracker explosion in Mimbo Village, Sumberanyar Village, Banyuputih District, Situbondo, East Java. ANTARA/Novi Husdinariyanto

SITUBONDO - Investigators from the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Situbondo Police, East Java, have examined and questioned as many as 11 witnesses to the incident of the explosion of firecracker material which resulted in two people dying and five other victims being burned.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of Situbondo Police, AKP Agung Hartawan, revealed that so far dozens of witnesses have been questioned for information since the incident of the firecracker explosion at the house of Mrs. Kulsum (60) in Mimbo Village, Sumberanyar Village, Banyuputih District, last Wednesday (18/2).

"We have examined 11 witnesses, and dozens of witnesses to the incident of the firecracker explosion were neighbors or residents around the source of the explosion," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, February 26.

AKP Agung said that he could not examine or ask for information from the five survivors in the incident of the firecracker explosion because they were still traumatized. So the police could not explain the chronology of the explosion which also caused 11 houses around to be damaged.

The five survivors who suffered burns of an average of 50 percent due to the firecracker explosion are currently undergoing outpatient treatment after being treated at Asembagus Hospital (Situbondo).

"The five victims of the explosion cannot be questioned because they are still traumatized and are being treated for burns after the fireworks last week," said Agung.

A few days ago, the Identification Team of the Police was assisted by the Identification Team and the Forensic Laboratory of the East Java Police in carrying out the crime scene and securing 18 pieces of evidence from the location of the firecracker explosion.

A dozen pieces of evidence that were successfully secured by the police, including petan shells, petan shell winding tools, petan candles, CCTV, clothes and others.

On Wednesday (18/2) last week at around 12.00 WIB, the house belonging to Mrs. Kulsum (60) a resident of Mimbo Village, Sumberanyar Village, Banyuputih District, collapsed flat with the ground after a huge explosion from firecrackers.

Two victims died as a result of the incident, namely Abdurrahman (15) died today Thursday (26/2) after undergoing medical treatment at the Dr. Soebandi Jember Hospital, while the other deceased victim Supriyadi (50) died at the scene of the incident when he was hit by the ruins of the house.

Meanwhile, the other five burn victims, namely Samsul (22), Riko (25), Faiz (20), Fino (25) and Mrs. Kulsum (60) who were previously treated at the Asembagus Hospital (Situbondo) are in stable condition and are undergoing outpatient treatment.