Ammonia Gas Leak at Ice Factory in Kalasan Causes Residents to Evacuate
An ammonia gas leak at an ice crystal factory in Purwomartani, Kalasan, Sleman caused panic among residents. Several residents experienced breathing difficulties and were forced to evacuate to a safe location.
The incident occurred on Friday (8/5) at approximately 11:30 PM. News about the ammonia gas leak became one of the most discussed topics for readers on detikJogja this week. Here are the facts related to the incident compiled by detikJogja.
Residents in 6 RTs Evacuated
The Head of Emergency and Logistics at the Sleman BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency), Bambang Kuntoro, said that they received a report early in the morning around 1:30 AM. He stated that the ammonia gas could be smelled within a radius of 300 meters.
“I was called by the village head at 1:30 AM while I was on patrol. Apparently, there was an ammonia or methane gas leak from the ice crystal factory to the west of the road. People within a 200-300 meter radius experienced stinging eyes and a pungent smell,” Bambang explained when contacted on Saturday (9/5/2026).
Bambang said that at least residents from six RTs (neighborhood units) around the factory were affected by the incident and had to evacuate.
“I asked them to call the fire department because we didn’t know how to handle it. We don’t know how to deal with this kind of gas. Then, our TRC (Tactical Response Team) team rushed to distribute masks last night to reduce the smell,” he said.
The Fire Department Assisted in Handling
The agency decided to request assistance from the fire department because they were considered to have the necessary handling methods. On Saturday (9/5) morning, factory technicians accompanied by the Sleman Fire Department entered the valve room using SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) to ensure that all valves were closed.
“At 5:00 AM, the southern part of the factory still had a strong smell, but residents had resumed their normal activities. According to technicians from the factory, the gas will expand if exposed to sunlight,” he said.
Stories from Local Residents
One of the residents near the factory, Irfan Hajam, recounted the chronology of when the ammonia gas leak was first noticed by residents. Irfan, whose house is only 100 meters from the factory, said that he suddenly smelled a pungent odor.
“Last night at 11:30 PM, there was a strong smell. I have a shop that’s open until 12:00 AM. I looked for the source of the smell and noticed a stinging sensation in my eyes. I thought maybe a cat had knocked over some oil or there was a short circuit,” he said when met near the factory on Saturday (9/5).
“Then, I went outside, and it turned out that residents closest to the factory were running south, shouting ‘there’s an ammonia gas leak’,” Irfan explained.
He immediately evacuated his family and closed his shop. At that time, he said he felt short of breath and experienced a stinging sensation in his eyes.
“It was quite scary because my wife and children were sleeping. Then, I woke them up, and their eyes were stinging,” Irfan said.
“Then, I closed the shop, evacuated my family to here, away from the area. We evacuated and stayed with relatives. We returned home after dawn prayers,” he added.
Residents Experienced Breathing Difficulties
The Head of Health Services at the Sleman Health Office, Raditya Kusuma Tejamurti, said that dozens of residents were examined due to inhaling ammonia gas. He said that several residents experienced breathing difficulties.
“Currently, there are 25 people, but the data is constantly updated, and we haven’t updated the details yet,” Radit said when contacted on Saturday (9/5).
“Some of them complained of shortness of breath and needed oxygen. Their initial saturation was below 95. After receiving oxygen for 30 minutes, their condition improved, and they were allowed to go home. Currently, there are no patients at the post,” he added.
One of the 25 residents was examined at a hospital.
“The latest information is that one resident is at Tegalyoso Hospital and is still being checked,” Radit said.
“We just need to confirm the information. According to reports, the patient stayed in the area, returned home, then experienced shortness of breath and went to Tegalyoso Hospital,” he added.
The DIY Police Bomb Disposal Unit Inspected the Location
The DIY Police Bomb Disposal Unit inspected the location of the incident. The Deputy Commander of the Brimob Detachment of the DIY Police, Kompol Edi Efiyanto, explained that in this inspection, they deployed two teams divided into two sessions.
“This is handling a gas leak. We need to determine what type of gas it is before we can handle it,” Edi said when met at the Ice Crystal Factory on Saturday (9/5).
“We have also coordinated with the DLHK (Environmental Agency), and we will coordinate again after we get the results. We don’t know for sure what type of gas it is, but there was a gas leak,” he added.
The Smell Lingered for Three Days
The village head, Bayen Mukti Sukamdani, said that residents were allowed to return home on Sunday (10/5). However, he said that the smell could still be detected until Monday (11/5).
“The residents who had evacuated have returned home,” he said when contacted by reporters on Monday (11/5/2026).
“According to information, it has been resolved, but there is still a slight smell in the area,” he said.
When asked about the cause of the leak, Mukti said that he did not know for sure.
“According to information from the factory, there was no trigger for the leak. It just happened during production,” he said.