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Rock collapse in Cirebon quarry kills at least 13 people
The company overseeing the mine was operating legally but safety standards were lacking, according to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, who said he had ordered its closure following the accident.
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Rescuers use heavy equipment to search for landslide victims buried under rocks at the C excavation site in Cipanas, Dukupuntang, Cirebon Regency, West Java, on May 30, 2025. At least eight people were killed and a dozen injured on Friday in a rockfall at the limestone quarry, police said. (AFP/Rizky Josahema Tambunan)
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t least thirteen people were killed and a dozen injured Friday in a rockfall at a limestone quarry in Cirebon regency, West Java, the disaster agency said, with search efforts ongoing to find people buried beneath the rubble.
The company overseeing the mine was operating legally but safety standards were lacking, according to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, who said he had ordered its closure following the accident.
Workers and heavy equipment were buried when rocks suddenly crumbled at the mining site in Cipanas village at around 09:30 a.m. local time.
"Until now, 13 people have been found dead. Around five to six people might still be buried, and the figure might change," Cirebon Disaster Management Agency head Deni Nurcahya told AFP.
Rescuers decided to halt the evacuation and resume the operation Saturday morning for fear of another rockfall, he said. Three excavators were also buried under the rocks.
Previously, Cirebon Police chief Sr. Comr. Sumarni said that at least 12 people were injured and have been taken to hospitals.
Friday's incident was the second time the quarry collapsed. Parts of the mine collapsed in February but there were no casualties reported.
"I decided to shut down the pit permanently, not just this pit but also other pits nearby," Dedi told Metro TV.
He said on his Instagram account that the site was dangerous and "does not meet safety standards for workers".
Mining accidents are common across Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation, especially in unlicensed sites where safety protocols are often ignored.
In 2023, eight workers died after being trapped in an illegal gold mine in Central Java.
In July last year at least 23 people died and 35 others were missing when a landslide hit a remote village near an illegal gold mine on Sulawesi island.
