Bangkalan Police Arrest 7 People Related To The Explosion In Kamal

Black smoke at the site of the mortar explosion in Banyuajuh Village, Kamal District, Bangkalan, East Java, Friday (29/12/2023). ANTARA/HO-Bangkalan Police

BANGKALAN - Bangkalan Resort Police, East Java, arrested as many as seven people related to the explosion in Banyuajuh Village, Kamal, which damaged five buildings and killed one person.

According to Bangkalan Police Chief AKBP Febri Isman Jaya, they consisted of four divers and a collection of junk and two workers.

"We have secured them for questioning. Currently they are at the Bangkalan Police Headquarters," said Police Chief AKBP Febri Isman Jaya as reported by ANTARA, Friday, December 29.

Previously, on Friday (29/12) at around 09.00 WIB (version of residents of 08.20 WIB) there was an explosion in Banyuaju Village, Kamal District, Bangkalan Regency. The location of the explosion was about 300 meters from Kamal Port.

As many as six people became victims in the incident, one of whom died. Five houses were also damaged and 1 car caught fire at the site of the explosion.

Based on the results of the investigation of the crime scene of joint officers from the Bangkalan Police and the East Java Regional Police, said the Police Chief, the explosion that occurred in Banyuajuh Village from a mortar object. The object was about to be cut off by a collection of junk.

3 mortar-like objects were purchased from one of the residents he got from the seabed. When cutting with a cutting machine, the object came out of smoke. Workers who were afraid of running, then the explosion occurred.

"The iron that we suspect was part of the mortar was found in three places, in front of a resident's house not far from the location, then at Kamal Pier and beside the warehouse. We are currently investigating this case, and we have arrested seven people," said Febri.

A number of residents around the scene claimed to have heard explosions three times in a row. In fact, some of them involved flying objects such as pipes along with the sound of the explosion.

"We had rushed out of the house because the sound was very loud," said Chairul Fuad, a resident who lives about 200 meters from the site of the explosion.

To anticipate things that are not desirable, officers forbade residents to approach the scene, even officers had installed police lines.