In smithereens: Forensics officials investigate the cause of an explosion in a simulation room at the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, on Wednesday. (JP/P.J. Leo)
Explosions early on Wednesday morning at the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Headquarters in Kelapa Dua, in the south of Jakarta, damaged windows in several houses whose owners have demanded compensation.
Police said the explosions occurred at around 2:15 a.m. during heavy rains.
“The incident began with an electrical short-circuit that occurred during heavy rains on Wednesday morning," National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri told reporters.
Bambang denied any possibility the incident was sabotage.
"The short circuit then turned from a flicker into a flame, which turned into a fire. It was the fire that destroyed the simulation room,” he said after attending an inauguration of police students in Jakarta on Wednesday.
An electrical panel short-circuited in the Brimob bomb squad simulation room, igniting fireworks the squad used for training purposes, and starting a fire that took almost an hour to extinguish.
The roof of the building was completely destroyed in the blaze, which occurred just 300 meters from a police detention center where several high-profile graft suspects including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's in-law, Aulia Pohan, were being detained. No one was injured in the incident, nor did any prisoners escape, police said.
Separately, National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen. Sulistyo Ishak said the fire may have occurred because the building was inadequate for bomb squad simulations.
“We conducted our training there because that was the only facility we had. The room was not designed for explosives simulations but we have to keep training our officers,” Sulistyo said during a telephone interview.
"The simulation room was empty. No one was in there at the time of the explosion," he said.
Despite the police's claims of only a small explosion, the blast reportedly shattered windows of houses nearby.
Eli, a Depok resident living near the base, said people had yelled "get down" after the blast.
“We often hear small bangs that sound like war games, but this was really loud,” she said.
The explosion also sent some residents fleeing from their homes in panic.
Yulir, another resident, said she ran out of her house and did not return until dawn, fearing another explosion.
“I was so surprised when I heard the loud explosion, and then the fire. The explosion even broke windows at my house,” she said.
Yulir hoped the police would fix the damages caused by the explosion soon.
Mobile Brigade chief Insp. Gen. Imam Sudjarwo promised police would help repair the damage.
"We will also cover any treatment of residents who were injured as a result of the blast," he added.
Sulistyo said police would assess the material losses suffered by residents before lending a hand.
"The Mobile Brigade corps is the body responsible for the repairs," he said.
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