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haj pilgrim returning from his month-long journey to Mecca arrived at his home in Madura on Tuesday only to find it in ruins after a huge stock of firecrackers that his family had stored in the house for his welcoming party had accidentally exploded, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened at about 6 a.m. on Tuesday in Waru district, while most of the family members were at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya awaiting the arrival of 48-year-old Abdul Jalil. The explosion injured four people who remained in the house preparing the welcoming party, two seriously and the other two with minor injuries.

'€œAbdul Jalil got home only to find his house destroyed,'€ Waru Police chief Adj. Comr. Junaidi told tempo.co.

On Madura Island, as in many rural areas elsewhere in Indonesia, taking part in the haj is a social status symbol and firecrackers are an important element in traditional ceremonies, such as weddings, circumcisions and homecoming parties.

Police are reportedly baffled as to why Abdul'€™s relatives kept so many firecrackers inside the house and are unsure as to what started the fire that set them off.

'€œAll the injured are still in hospital and are too shocked for questioning,'€ Junaidi said.