300 gas tanks explode in Serpong

300 gas tanks explode in Serpong

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Around 300 portable gas tanks at the Jaya Gas LPG depot on Jl.
Raya Cilenggang, near the German Centre in Bumi Serpong Damai,
Tangerang, exploded on Tuesday.

The explosions in broad daylight shocked residents in the
area. The blasts burned down the depot, two parked trucks, five
parked motorcycles and a house belonging to Ade, 45, who lives
next to the depot.

No other buildings were damaged, as the depot and house are
surrounded by empty lots.

Five fire trucks were deployed and put out the fire in
two-and-a-half hours, said fireman Budi.

One of the depot's workers, Dumai Ekti, 24, suffered burns to
his hands from the explosion and was rushed to the nearest
hospital for emergency treatment.

Eyewitness Ade said that a delivery truck and a pickup
carrying around 300 gas tanks together arrived at the depot kiosk
at around 11:30 a.m.

"Five workers were unloading the gas tanks when I heard a
noise that sounded like tanks hitting the ground. When they had
just unloaded five gas tanks, there was a sudden explosion and
the fire spread quickly out of control," he said.

Serpong Police chief Insp. Kostbar, however, gave a different
version. He said the accident took place at around 12:30 p.m.
when one of the workers was cooking in the kitchen.

"There was a leak from a gas pipe in the kitchen that caused
the fire," he said.

Gas depot operator Untung was not at the site when the
accident took place. He said later that he estimated losses at Rp
1 billion (US$116,279) from the fire.

The police are continuing their investigation into the
incident.