Landfill Collapse at Bantargebang Waste Facility Claims Four Lives, Rescue Operations Underway
A massive waste pile at the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Disposal Site (TPST) in Bekasi City, West Java collapsed and claimed lives on Sunday, 8 March at approximately 14:30 West Indonesian Standard Time (WIB). At the time, several refuse trucks were queuing to unload waste.
Without warning, the towering waste pile collapsed, crushing several trucks and food stalls in the vicinity. Shortly after the incident, a combined team from the Bekasi City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Bekasi SAR Alert Unit, and DKI Jakarta Provincial BPBD launched evacuation operations. Police units from Bekasi Metro Police and Bantargebang Police Station responded to assist with rescue efforts. Police deployed canine units to support search and rescue operations.
Evacuation began on Sunday afternoon. Video documentation from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) captured rescue workers lifting victims from the waste debris. Heavy machinery was employed in the evacuation process, with two personnel positioned on an excavator bucket lifting the remains of victims, assisted by residents below.
Beyond fatalities, the combined rescue teams extracted a refuse truck buried beneath the collapse, which was severely damaged when lifted by excavator. The BNPB has emphasised the importance of safety protocols during the search operation, noting that weather forecasts for the coming two days predict rainfall in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi region (Jabodetabek). The unstable material poses a significant risk of triggering secondary landslides, so field teams have been instructed to implement strict safety protocols to prevent additional casualties.
The BNPB has also urged residents and facility operators in landfill areas, as well as other regions with hilly terrain or areas near mountains, to maintain high vigilance against potential ground movement. The public has been advised to immediately evacuate to safe locations if they observe signs of ground cracks or persistent heavy rainfall.
Four victims have been confirmed dead by police. The deceased comprised two truck drivers, one waste picker, and one coffee vendor. According to Bekasi Metro Police Chief Kombes Kusumo, the victims were identified as S (60), a coffee vendor at the site; EW (26), a waste picker; DS (22), a truck driver from Semper Barat, Cilincing, North Jakarta; and IS (40), also a truck driver.
Police estimate that approximately ten people remain buried in the collapse. The search continues with canine units assisting in recovery efforts. Based on preliminary data, victims are estimated to include five refuse truck drivers and five residents engaged in waste picking activities.