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Banyumas glass bridge operator owns two other similar attractions, police find
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Fragile surface: Officers from the Central Java Forensic Laboratory conduct a crime scene investigation at a broken glass bridge in Limpakuwus Pine Forest in Sumbang district, Banyumas regency, Central Java, on Oct. 26, 2023. (Antara/Sumarwoto)
T
he Banyumas Police have charged Edi Suseno, the owner and manager of the Geong glass bridge, with negligence over a recent fatal accident at the Central Java tourist site and have found that he owns two other similar attractions in the area.
"We have determined that the manager is a suspect and he has since been detained," said Banyumas Police chief Sr. Comr. Edy Suranta Sitepu on Oct. 25.
Edy said investigators had determined that the 63-year-old suspect had personally designed the glass bridge whose partial collapse killed one and injured three. The structure also lacked the required licensing and failed to adhere to operational standards and safety regulations, including a lack of feasibility studies.
The bridge’s owner was charged under Articles 359 and 360 of the Criminal Code. Article 359 governs negligence resulting in the death of another, while the Article 360 addresses negligence resulting in injury to another.
"He is accused of committing negligence that resulted in either death or serious injury, bearing a maximum sentence of five years in prison," said Edy.
According to Edy, the suspect owns three glass bridges: the one at Limpakuwus Pine Forest and one in Guci, all in Central Java.
The two additional glass bridges have been closed to the public. In Guci, the local police are enforcing the closure of the attraction.
At the broken Geong bridge, the police discovered that the C-shaped canal connecting the T-shaped bridge had been joined by welding. The welding work, investigators found, had been carried out unevenly, resulting in a wavy pattern.
"According to experts, placing the glass on a wavy surface leads to deflection or vibration, ultimately causing the glass to break,” Edy said.
The police also found that the foam on the glass, which is intended to relieve strain and dampen vibrations, had not properly set and had degraded over time. Moreover, no information boards or visitor advisories were found at the entrance to the Limpakuwus glass bridge.
