"My Child Was Almost Left Behind": Mother's Story During the Cimuning Bekasi SPBE Explosion

BEKASI, KOMPAS.com - The fire at the Cimuning Bulk LPG Filling Station (SPBE) in Bekasi on Wednesday night (1/4/2026) left not only destruction in its wake but also stories of panic from residents who narrowly escaped death during the explosion in the midst of a residential neighbourhood.

Residents near the SPBE in Cimuning, Mustika Jaya, Bekasi City, said they had already smelled a pungent gas odour shortly before the explosion occurred.

Ningsih (30), one of the survivors, said a warning was even broadcast through the mosque’s loudspeaker.

“It was at 20:30 WIB that a warning was given from the mosque to stay away from the location. Basically, after the pungent smell, the residents saved themselves,” said Ningsih when met on Thursday (2/4/2026).

However, the situation on the ground was not entirely clear. Although access was temporarily closed, there were still vehicles passing by before the explosion.

“At most, only my child’s books could be saved. The clothes couldn’t be saved anymore, the documents can’t be either,” she revealed.

Amid the panic, the most memorable thing was almost leaving her child behind.

“My child was almost left behind. If not saved? Oh God,” she said.

She was grateful that during the incident, she was at home.

“Fortunately, I wasn’t working. If I was working, I don’t know what would have happened to my life,” she said.

“From what I heard, there were more than seven explosions. The leaking gas had already spread to the road. So when the explosion happened, the fire reached inside the houses,” she added.