Stampede victims remain in hospital

JAKARTA (JP): Five victims of a stampede at a Bogor shopping center were still being treated at two hospitals yesterday.

They were among the victims of about 30 people injured Saturday evening after someone's cry of fire, which turned out to be a false alarm, caused visitors at the Bogor Plaza on Jl. Suryakencana to trample over each other.

A police officer said yesterday someone lit a fire cracker at 7:55 p.m. in the video game center on the building's fourth floor.

"The sound of explosion caused the building operator on the second floor to panic and shout fire," the officer said.

He said the firecracker lighter was irresponsible.

Visitors on the first, second and third floors all panicked.

The building is in front of a police post so police and soldiers came quickly.

About 19 people were taken to Bogor's Red Cross hospital and 12 were sent to the Salak hospital.

Yesterday three people were still in the Red Cross hospital including a 10 year-old girl, Avrillia, who was in intensive care. A hospital employee said she was being treated for a brain hemorrhage.

The other two were Diana, 30, of Babakan Madang, and Erna, 17, of Palasari village.

Two more victims remained in the Salak hospital: Ria Komalasari, 21, of Lebak Pasa and Imah Bunyamin, 15, of Bakem Rawa. A Salak employee said the two would be referred to an eye specialist for their injuries. (04/11)