Police question 12 over death of three construction workers
Police question 12 over death of three construction workers
JAKARTA (JP): Police questioned 12 men on Saturday over the
deaths on Friday of three workers at the Wisma Asiatic project on
Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio, Setiabudi, South Jakarta.
The three were killed in a landslide and the collapse of a
fence at the project site.
A police major at the Setiabudi police subprecinct said the 12
men are employed by two of the project's subcontractors,
including a foreman, Tukimin.
"We are still investigating the case. The number of witnesses
to be questioned could be higher," the officer, who asked for
anonymity, told The Jakarta Post.
He said the police had also invited an expert on building
construction to help investigate the accident.
The project site was under tight guard on Saturday by a police
officer and two military officers. They prohibited the cameraman
of a private television station from taking pictures of the site.
Besides burying three workers alive, the landslide and the
collapse of the fence also injured seven other workers. The
number of the victims was feared to increase.
The fatalities are Yono and Didi of Banyuwangi, East Java, and
Yono of Sukabumi, West Java.
The seven injured workers were treated at Jakarta Hospital in
South Jakarta.
Rochmat, who suffered minor head and leg injuries, said the
incident happened at 3:30 p.m., as they were digging for
construction of the ground floor of the project, which is located
next to Citra Regency Apartment.
The 19-year-old worker from South Lampung, Sumatra, said that
one of his friends thought it curious when he saw water coming
out of the ground. Rochmat believes the water probably came from
a swimming pool located at Citra Regency Apartment.
He said that as soon as he saw the land and five-meter fence
start to fall, he tried to run away. Unfortunately, he could not
escape from being hit by the falling fence, which knocked him
unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Another injured worker, Yudo, said he fell and was also hit by
the fence when he tried to help the victims.
Yudo, an employee of the building's main contractor, Shimizu
Dextam Jo, was inspecting the project when the incident occurred.
On Wednesday, two workers at the Menara 2000 project, also in
the Setiabudi district, were crushed and killed by a falling
drive sheave from a temporary lift.
The fatalities were identified as Katijo, 37, a resident of
Jl. Aren, Bintaro, South Jakarta, and Suwardi, 30, of Srengseng
Sawah, South Jakarta. (jun)