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)