Father and Son Killed Following Gas Explosion in North Cikarang
A suspected gas explosion in Kampung Pulo Kapuk, Mekarmukti Village, North Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, has left six members of a single family suffering from various degrees of burns. Of the six victims, two—Deni Setiawan (36) and his son Raihan Alfarizky (7)—passed away after receiving medical treatment at the Bekasi Regency Regional Hospital.
A neighbour, Tami (55), stated that the incident occurred while the victim’s mother, Enah, was cooking and warming rice. It is suspected that a gas leak occurred during this time. She noted that Enah had asked her son-in-law for help to fix the leak, but shortly after, a loud explosion was heard coming from the house.
Suta (41), from the Mekarmutki Village Health Task Force, reported being alerted to the incident by one of the victims’ children. Upon arriving at the scene, several victims were already outside the house suffering from burns. The incident reportedly took place around 4:00 am.
The six victims were evacuated to different hospitals; three were taken to the Bekasi Regency Regional Hospital, while the other three were moved to Sentra Medika Hospital. It is believed that the fire ignited while the mother was attempting to replace or repair the leaking gas cylinder, causing the flames to spread rapidly throughout the room.
According to Suta, the two deceased victims suffered burns covering more than 90 per cent of their bodies. Four other victims remain under medical supervision. One victim, Enah, is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Bekasi Regency Regional Hospital with burns covering approximately 90 per cent of her body. Another victim, Amelya Putri, is being treated for burns on her arms and legs covering less than 50 per cent of her body. Two other victims, Buyin and Aisah (15), are receiving treatment at Sentra Medika Hospital, with Aisah suffering from burns to both legs.
Police are currently investigating the incident, which is suspected to have been caused by an LPG cylinder explosion. AKBP Jerico Chandra, Head of Criminal Investigation at the Bekasi Police, confirmed on Sunday that while initial witness statements point towards a gas cylinder, the investigation is ongoing.