Explosion rocks Kelapa Gading mall, frightens shoppers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of shoppers were startled by an explosion
\nin the parking lot of Kelapa Gading shopping center in North
\nJakarta on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
As of Wednesday, police said they still had no idea about what
\ncaused the explosion.<\/p>\n
No fatalities were recorded but the blast shattered windows of
\ntwo empty public minivans on the site.<\/p>\n
According to North Jakarta Police detectives chief Maj. Heru
\nWinarko, the explosion occurred at about 8 p.m., a few hours
\nbefore the shopping center closed.<\/p>\n
Police were alerted and came to investigate the area, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We found nothing. We also called the National Police Gegana
\nbomb squad for a backup. But I don't know if they found anything
\nat the site,\" officer Heru said.<\/p>\n
A number of witnesses, including the drivers of the minivans,
\nwere questioned but Heru said the police had no definite clues
\nabout who could have been responsible for planting explosives.<\/p>\n
Heru quoted witnesses as saying they saw thick smoke coming
\nfrom bushes under a garden light at the parking lot shortly after
\nthe blast.<\/p>\n
The light reportedly was not damaged at all and the smoke did
\nnot spread.<\/p>\n
\"If the explosion came from a flammable chemical substance
\nthen many people would have smelled a strange odor after the
\nexplosion. But no one told us this was so,\" Heru said.<\/p>\n
A similar incident occurred at a vacant lot between city
\npolice headquarters and the Jakarta Stock Exchange on Jl.
\nSudirman, Central Jakarta, on Dec. 30.<\/p>\n
As in the Kelapa Gading case, no official statement was made
\nby police about the mysterious blast on one of Jakarta's main
\nbusiness areas.<\/p>\n
A police source however disclosed that the blast was suspected
\nto have been caused by a chemical substance that was seized as
\nevidence by police.<\/p>\n
\"Not all police know how such chemicals work and that if they
\njust throw the compound into the air, certain chemicals will
\nexplode immediately,\" the source said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He however declined to speculate on the blast in Kelapa
\nGading, saying that an investigation was still underway. (emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/explosion-rocks-kelapa-gading-mall-frightens-shoppers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}