Fumarole death blamed on poor signs

BANDUNG: The director of the Vulcanology office, A. Djumarma Wirakusumah, said that a villager named Sahmad, 40, who died recently from inhaling poisonous gas in the Dieng mountain range in Central Java was due to a "lack of danger zone signs put up by the local administration around the mountain."

"We have detected three fumaroles featuring increased activity of poisonous gas in Dieng mountain plateau, Banjarnegara in Central Java," Djumarma said.

The three fumaroles, Timbang I, Sigludug and Sinila have a carbon dioxide concentration of between 40 to 70 percent.

"Because the signs are old and damaged, locals are unaware of the situation. The local administration should put up more signs," he said.

In the worst recorded incident, poisonous gas from Sinila fumarole killed 149 people on Feb. 29, 1979. (25/edt)