Five Explosions Occurred In The Margomulyo Gas Station Area In Surabaya

Firefighters at the Margomulyo Gas Station in Surabaya, Sunday, January 24 at night. (Hanif Nashrullah / Antara)

JAKARTA - Starting from around 18.00 WIB to 22.30 WIB Sunday night, there were five explosions in the area of Jalan Margomulyo Surabaya Public Refueling Station (SPBU), said a local police officer.

Reported by Antara, Monday, January 25, the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Surabaya Tandes Sector Police, Inspector of Police Two (Ipda), Gogot Purwanto, described that firefighters from the Surabaya City Government were still looking for the source of the explosion.

"If the flames were successfully extinguished at around 19.00 WIB, starting from the first explosion at 18.00 WIB," he said when confirmed in Surabaya, Sunday, January 24 evening.

There were no fatalities in this incident. Only a shop beside the Margomulyo gas station was hit by fire as a result of one of the explosions.

Ipda Gogot revealed that underground around the Margomulyo gas station area is a pipeline installation from PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN).

"PT PGN has deployed its technical team and after conducting an investigation it was stated that there were absolutely no pipe leaks in this area," he said.

In addition to the PGN pipeline installed, there is a water channel or gutter below the Margomulyo gas station area

Observations on site, from the gaps in the gutter continued to smoke.

Until now, firefighters seemed to be struggling to reduce the smoke coming out of the ditch.

According to Ipda Gogot, investigations into the source of the explosion are still ongoing.

"We are also investigating the possibility if there is a leak from the bunker built by the SPBU itself," he said.

He said PT Pertamina had also deployed a team at the scene of the incident.

"But PT Pertamina at this gas station only acts as a distributor and issues the operating license," he said.