Family members of Andi Susanto, a Bekasi resident who recently suffered a severe injury caused by an exploding cigarette, are currently seeking an out-of-court settlement against the cigarette producer PT Nojorono Tobacco Indonesia (NTI).
Andi’s sister, Widya Setyowati, said Monday that her family was in the process of negotiation with the cigarette firm to cover all his medical costs.
“My mother informed me that we have agreed not to take the case to court,” Widya said, although the family reported the explosion to Cibitung Police last week.
The cigarette exploded in Andi’s mouth on Thursday when he was riding his motorcycle on an intersection near Adam Talib Hospital, Cibitung, Bekasi.
The cigarette, which was half-burnt was tucked between his lips, right before the explosion.
He lost six teeth and received 51 stitches.
Widya said the company had given her brother Rp 5 million (US$526) during a visit to the hospital on Friday.
Police are still investigating the case and are yet to confirm the cause of the explosion. They confiscated a helmet, a cigarette lighter, his uniform and part of the cigarette for investigation.
Andi, who has been smoking since he was at elementary school, said he was shocked by the incident.
“It had been always fine. The incident was all so unexpected,” said the 31-year-old who works as a security guard.
He admitted that he was traumatized by the incident and would try to quit smoking.
Tulus Abadi from the Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation said there was only a small chance the explosion was triggered by the ingredients of the cigarette.
“From around 4,000 chemical substances found in a cigarette, there is one substance that is identical to a substance used to formulate rocket fuel,” Tulus told The Jakarta Post, referring to methanol.
“But although it exists in cigarettes, I think the amount is too small to trigger an explosion.”
According to Tulus, the cigarette-explosion incident is not the first of its kind in Indonesia.
Two years ago, he said, another Bekasi resident took a cigarette company to court after his mouth was burnt after smoking a cigarette produced by another cigarette company. “But he lost the trial,” said Tulus.
Muhammad Warsianto, NTI’s senior adviser, confirmed that its products, branded as Clas Mild, did not contain any explosive materials.
“This case is curious, I have never heard of anything like it,” he said. Warsianto said the company assisted with the medical bill as a form of sympathy to “a loyal customer”.
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|