Gas Leak Suspected in Medan Mansion Explosion, One Dead and Two Still Missing

A joint search and rescue team is continuing to search for two victims still believed to be buried under the rubble of a luxury home in the elite Grand Polonia complex, Medan, following a massive explosion on Monday afternoon. The incident, which occurred around 15:30 WIB on 20 July 2026, is suspected to have been caused by a leak in a buried gas pipe.

The Head of the Medan Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas), Hery Marantika, confirmed that a female victim was recovered from the debris in the early hours of Tuesday morning. “At 02.20 WIB, we found one female victim. She has been evacuated and handed over to the family,” Hery told reporters at the scene.

According to preliminary data, six people were in the house at the time of the explosion. Three survived: a two-year-old child named Jeavelin, the family driver Hasan, and a courier whose identity is yet to be confirmed. The body of one woman has been recovered, leaving two residents still unaccounted for and presumed trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

“There are still two victims left. We found one at 02.20 this morning, and we will continue the search for the remaining two today,” Hery stated. The joint SAR operation involves Basarnas Medan, the North Sumatra Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), the Directorate of Samapta, the Medan Public Works Department, and the Medan Fire Department. Hery added that the team is utilising heavy equipment and thermal drones to accelerate the search and extrication process.