Source of Ciputat Explosion Traced to Banana-Ripening Room
A powerful explosion occurred at Cimanggis Market in Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten, last night. Police have identified the location where it originated.
Police investigated the incident by conducting two crime-scene examinations. They reviewed 18 CCTV recordings and gathered statements from witnesses at the scene.
Investigators eventually established that the explosion came from the market’s banana-ripening room. Police said it was not caused by a bomb.
“Today we carried out the second crime-scene examination. The incident happened yesterday at 18:15 WIB, and we conducted the first examination then. We could not continue at night. We collected several CCTV recordings from different angles, including from the site itself, as well as the recorder,” said Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Director of General Criminal Investigation, Senior Commissioner Imron Ermawan, at Cimanggis Market on Thursday (15 October 2026).
The explosion took place on Wednesday (14 October). It killed two people, injured 13 and caused severe damage to several shop-houses and vehicles.
“Based on the preliminary findings of the bomb-disposal unit, which carried out a sweep, no bomb-like object was found. We will, of course, investigate this further and follow up,” he said.
Findings at the scene
South Tangerang Police’s public relations chief, First Inspector Wahyuni, said the forensic ballistics and metallurgy team from the National Police Criminal Investigation Department’s forensic laboratory found a 52-kilogram ethylene gas cylinder and a hose used to feed the gas into the ripening room, where bananas are made to ripen quickly and evenly.
“First, we found a 52-kilogram gas cylinder. It contained ethylene gas. We also found a section of hose used to deliver the ethylene gas to the ripening room. This is a room for ripening bananas quickly and evenly,” said Jakaria Sembiring, head of the laboratory’s forensic ballistics and metallurgy division.
Investigators also found a fan motor that appeared to have broken apart. The team is still examining it.
“If the motor was short-circuited or damaged, it could have caused a spark, so there should be signs of damage. If it is still in good condition, the cause may lie elsewhere,” he added.
He said the worst damage was in a cream-coloured shop-house in the middle of the row. The explosion’s centre was in the banana-ripening room.
“Today’s findings have narrowed it down further: the centre of the explosion was inside a room used to ripen bananas,” he said.
13 people injured
Two people died in the explosion at Cimanggis Market. Police identified one of the victims, Riko, as an employee of a fruit shop, and the other, Achmad Tri Prasetyo, as a local resident.
“One was an operational employee of the business renting the shop-house, and the other was a member of the local community,” Wahyuni said.
A further 11 people were reported injured. The victims are being treated at three hospitals: South Tangerang Regional General Hospital, Sari Asih Hospital and Fatmawati Hospital.
The force of the blast caused several buildings to collapse, trapping victims beneath the debris. The reported victims were:
South Tangerang Regional General Hospital
Andri — burns to 90 per cent of his body
Andre — burns to 90 per cent of his body
Maman — minor injuries from flying debris
Ade — minor injuries from flying debris
Riko — died
Sari Asih Hospital
Anasyah — minor injuries
Sarmin — minor injuries
Wahyu Muhammadinno — minor injuries
Mudiyawati — minor injuries
Durham Efendi — minor injuries
Fatmawati Hospital
Suryanto — serious injuries
Bahtiar — serious injuries
Achmad Tri Prasetyo — died