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Explosion not from gas leak, Gandaria City mall says
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Police and mall security officers guard a vacant space under construction for a new restaurant on the lower ground level of Gandaria City Mall on Thursday. A blast took place at the scene on Thursday morning, injuring 13 people. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
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gas leak did not cause a blast on Thursday morning at one of the capital's high-end malls, Gandaria City in South Jakarta, that left 13 people injured, the mall's management claims.
This is despite reports that one of the mall's security officers noticed the smell of gas before the explosion.
The blast, which took place at 10 a.m on the lower ground level of the mall, was not caused by a gas explosion as widely reported by media, Gandaria City Mall public relations officer Zana Aurora said.
She said the installed pipe had not yet dispensed gas into the vacant space where the blast took place.
"We're still investigating whether the blast resulted from human error or other things. The latest information we found is that the gas has not yet been installed," Zana said, adding that the management would help the police investigate the real cause of the blast.
Police had ruled out a bomb as the cause of the blast, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Cmr. Awi Setiyono said, adding that police had started investigating the scene.
The vacant space, next to Cupbob restaurant, was going to be made into a restaurant, Zana explained. Workers were still installing the electrical system and other supporting facilities.
The blast on Thursday injured 13 people -- one female and 12 males -- who were at the scene when it took place.
The mall management would cover all the medical treatment expenses, Zana said, adding that they kept monitoring whether there was any more victims other than the 13.
Meanwhile, 10 of the victims underwent intensive treatment in the Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta, while the three others were able to return home.
The victims mostly suffered from first-degree and second-degree burns to about 30 percent of their bodies, said Pertamina Hospital's deputy medical director, Abdul Haris.
"They suffered burns to their faces and hands," he said.
Three victims had been allowed to go home after receiving treatment at about 1:30 p.m. at the hospital. They were Sholikul, 43, Lestari, 35, and Wasno, 43.
Meanwhile, the other 10 victims, Maryanto, 42, Ferry Bicar Paulus, 37, Wargiono, 26, Khoirul Umam, 27, Wiatmoko, 35, Winarso, 50, Budhi, 36, Warjito, 44, Udin, 29, and Zaini, 49, are staying at the hospital and have been admitted to treatment rooms. (rin)
