10 survivors of bomb blast still in hospital

JAKARTA (JP): At least 10 of the 21 survivors of Tuesday's bomb blast at the Philippines ambassador's residence on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta were still receiving treatment for injuries at two hospitals.

Eight are being treated at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta, and two others -- Philippines Ambassador Leonides T. Caday and his driver Eben Eiser -- were moved to Medistra Hospital on Jl. Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

"The ambassador's leg was broken in four separate places, and he was given first aid at RSCM," Ichramsyah A.R., the vice director for medical affairs at the hospital, said, adding that the envoy's staff requested that he be transferred to Medistra.

Eben was earlier hospitalized at RSCM along with three other victims who suffered bone fractures.

Two died from the blast, including Sopyan, 30, a security guard at the ambassador's residence on Jl. Imam Bonjol.

He was hospitalized but he did not survive the operation, Ichramsyah said.

Forensic staff at RSCM said they could not identify the other victim as the body was too damaged from the blast.

Ichramsyah said most victims received light injuries from flying objects.

Apart from the driver, the other victims who were operated on were Pandu, 40, Dwi Warno, 35, and Ketut Bawun, 35.

Ichramsyah said a four-year-old girl, Ananda Sekarsari, who was hospitalized for shock, was among the 10 survivors who were discharged.

The others were Umar Gafur, 63, Ani, 25, Heru Hermawan, 46, Ernawati, 30, Toni Taufik, 36, Joko Ruswanto, 52, Anggiat, 22, Faliani, 24, and Filipino Viernes Ricardo, 24.

Shortly after news of the blast was broadcast on radio and television stations, scores of people poured into emergency rooms, looking for relatives who worked at Caday's residence and nearby offices.

Relatives of Sopyan were among the crowd.

"He suffered internal bleeding in his chest, and his eyes were swollen," said Teguh Haryadi, adding that Sopyan had been working at the embassy for three months.

Sopyan was the fourth of five siblings, and lived in Palmeriam, East Jakarta.

A survivor, Toni, recalled that he had parked his motorcycle in front of his friend's house, which was nearby, when he suddenly heard a loud blast.

"I was about 200 meters away from the residence when part of a wooden fence hit me," Toni said.

Another victim, Jetro Situmorang, who is a staff member at the National Pollution Control Agency, was driving a white Daihatsu Taft GT jeep not far from the ambassador's residence at the time of the blast.

"My car was thrown by the force of the blast and my hands and leg were injured," he said. He added that his car was smashed.

The explosion also damaged water pipes at the scene, leaving the area inundated with water.

Jimin, a staff member of the tap water company, PT Pam Lyonnaise Jaya (PALYJA), which supplies water to the western part of the capital, including the Jl. Imam Bonjol area, said the damaged pipes had been repaired.

He said the damage would not affect water distribution to residences in other areas of Menteng.

"The company sent a team of technicians to the location to immediately repair the damaged pipes soon after we received information about the blast from the police.

"Our technicians identified the three areas which were damaged and repaired it all by 2 p.m.," he said.

Jimin, however, could not give an estimate on the total damage done to the water pipes.

Witnesses said the blast occurred at 12:20 p.m. (07/lup)