Hundreds Of Residents Of Mandailing Natal Poisoned, Police Claim Not To Find Gas Leaks Of PT SMGP

Mandailing Natal Police Chief AKBP Arie Sofandi Paloh (right) inspected the location in Sibanggor Julu Village, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatra. (HO/Madailing Natal Police)

MEDAN - The Mandailing Natal Resort Police (Polres), North Sumatra stated that the results of the temporary investigation did not find any gas leaks which resulted in about 105 residents of Sibanggor Julu Village who were suspected of being poisoned.

"Regarding the investigation, we re-checked for two days and this is the third day for H2S levels at the location or in the village for a while there is nothing," said Mandailing Natal Police Chief AKBP Arie Sofandi Paloh as reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 26.

Arie continued, this research was carried out by the North Sumatra Regional Police (Polda) Radioactive Biology Chemistry (KBR) team, the Forensic Laboratory, New Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mandailing Natal Police, PT SGMP to unite the report.

"At the location where the impact or village was installed with tools, no gas leaks were found," he said.

Arie said it was just that at the location there were hot springs and sulfur fields which were quite wide, reaching half a hectare.

"It's a sulfur field above PT SGMP, that's what we're investigating because it smells quite strong," he said.

The police chief said that in the future his party would provide information and educate the local community so that the local community would know what happened or the contingency.

In his statement, the Head of Geothermal Engineering (KPTB) of PT SMGP Ali Sahid explained that this activity was carried out to obtain data by simulation according to the implementation of the V-01 well activation with the activation implementation team, equipment and procedures. the same during the activity, Thursday (24/2).

"The reconstruction went well and all H2S detection devices showed a zero value (0) ppm indicating the absence of exposure to the H2S gas detected at both the pad V well location, a safe perimeter of 300 meters and around the Sibanggor Julu Village area," he explained.

Regarding the news of gas leaks, PT SMGP confirmed that there was no gas leak in the pipeline owned by PT SMGP, because the V-01 well is currently still in the well activation stage and has not been connected to the pipeline.

"The well activation activity is carried out in the location area of the well (closest distance from the well to the village 700 meters) by flowing the gas which is neutralized using the aplatement system (H2S gas neutralizing system) and the results are monitored through the H2S detector," he said.

Previously, residents of Sibanggor Julu Village, Puncak Sorik Marapi District, Madailing Natal Regency were rushed to Panyabungan Hospital and Permata Hospital in Mandailing Natal because it was rumored to have been exposed to H2S.

105 people were taken to the hospital. The day after receiving medical treatment, the 105 residents were returned to their respective homes.