Smoke Emerges in KRL Train at Rawa Buntu Station, Triggering Passenger Panic
Smoke suddenly appeared inside a women-only KRL carriage at Rawa Buntu Station, South Tangerang, causing panic among passengers. It was discovered that the smoke originated from mobile phones inside a female passenger’s bag.
KAI Commuter Public Relations Manager, Leza Arlan, explained that the plumes of smoke emerged from a phone belonging to a passenger on Commuter Line 1641, operating the Rangkasbitung-Tanah Abang route, on Thursday (17/09/2026) at 06:49 WIB. The incident occurred while the train was at Rawa Buntu Station.
“Security officers on duty on the platform noticed a passenger’s bag emitting smoke. The passenger then threw the bag onto the platform area,” Leza stated in a briefing on Thursday.
After being secured by officers according to procedure, two mobile phones were found burnt inside the passenger’s bag. Officers immediately assisted the passenger in exiting the Commuter Line and secured the bag containing the smoking gadgets.
“Officers subsequently coordinated with the Station Master, and the passenger whose bag was identified as emitting smoke from a mobile phone was called in for questioning,” he added.
According to information obtained, it was discovered that one of the mobile devices was being used as an internet hotspot. As a result of the incident, the KRL train set experienced a delay.
“Due to this incident, Commuter Line Number 1::41 on the Rangkasbitung-Tanah Abang route experienced a delay of approximately 7 minutes. After ensuring the train set was safe for travel, Commuter Line Number 1641 resumed its journey,” he further noted.
KAI Commuter reminded all passengers to pay attention to the condition of the electronic devices they carry. If any abnormal conditions are found, they should report them immediately to officers.
“If you encounter any abnormal conditions during your journey, do not panic and report it immediately to the officers. Rapid response from passengers is a vital part of maintaining collective safety,” he explained.
Previously, plumes of smoke appeared suddenly in one of the train carriages at Rawa Buntu Station. The sudden appearance of smoke caused passengers to scatter in panic.
In a video circulating on social media, the event occurred at 06:51 WIB. Several passengers were seen panicking and exiting the carriage upon noticing the smoke.
The incident took place in one of the women’s carriages, leading to passenger congestion on one of the platforms at Rawa Buntu Station.
KAI Commuter addressed the viral moment, clarifying that the smoke did not originate from a train engine malfunction.
“We can inform you that the plumes of smoke originated from a passenger’s mobile phone and not from the train’s facilities,” KAI Commuter wrote on its Threads account.