Forensic lab and ministry test gas samples in probe into deaths of workers in South Jakarta

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Forensic Laboratory Centre (Puslabfor) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency and the Ministry of Manpower are testing gas and water samples regarding the case of four workers who died on a building project at Jalan TB Simatupang RT 02/RW 02, Tanjung Barat, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.

“Where both the Labfor and the ministry are testing samples of gas collection as well as the water content in the storage tank or reservoir that caused the death of those four people,” said the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the South Jakarta Metro Police Resort, AKP Indra Darmawan, to reporters at the South Jakarta Metro Police Resort on Tuesday.

Indra said the purpose of taking those samples is to determine the gas or the source of the gas that caused the workers to die.

Thus, they promise to provide information if there are results from those sample tests.

“The results will be informed once they are available,” he said.

Previously, the Jagakarsa Police Sector confirmed four victims died and three people experienced shortness of breath after inhaling gas from a water tank at a multi-storey building project located at Jalan TB Simatupang RT 02/RW 02, Tanjung Barat, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.

The deceased victims are YN (32) from Subang, MW (62) from Cianjur, TS (63) from West Bandung, and MF (19) from West Bandung.

Meanwhile, the three victims with shortness of breath are UJ (41), SN (63), and AJ (47). All three are residents of Purwakarta.

The chronology of the incident began when two construction workers at the project were at the location on Friday (3/4) at 10:00 WIB.

At that time, the two victims were asked by the foreman to drain the clean water storage at the basement floor.

Then, during the process of dismantling the cover, the victims fell into the three-metre deep storage hole.

The victims were initially helped by their co-workers, but without using safety equipment. In the end, the co-workers also fell into the storage.

The incident resulted in four people falling and three people experiencing shortness of breath due to hot air and odours from the water tank.