North Balikpapan Police chief Adj. Comr. Agus Fitriadi said officers have conducted a crime scene investigation at the site, mapping the area and urging local authorities to ensure the location can no longer be accessed by children without adult supervision.

“We are also examining work-safety practices at the construction site and looking into possible negligence,” he said.

Agus also urged parents to closely monitor their children and ensure they do not play far from home or in hazardous places such as deep water bodies or construction areas.

“We also hope all developers install barriers and warning signs so incidents like this do not happen again,” he added.

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The pit was located in an area reportedly being prepared for residential development, next to the Grand City Elite housing complex in North Balikpapan district in Balikpapan city. Rainwater had filled the 4–5-meter-deep hole, turning it into a pool.

The site lies within a large open plot roughly 500 m from nearby roads and residential areas. Residents said the area is easily accessible and frequently used as a play area by local children. 

Police are verifying the legal status of the land to determine who is responsible for the formation of the large and hazardous water-filled pit.

Land Bank and Permit Department Head of the Grand City housing complex, Piratno, said the water-filled pit was not part of the developer’s construction project.

The 3.1-hectare plot where the pit is located belongs to a local resident. He said Grand City had previously made an offer to acquire the land, but no agreement was reached.

Piratno claimed that the pit did not form as a result of the company’s construction work, but because the developer elevated the surrounding land during the building of the Grand City housing complex, causing the adjacent undeveloped plot to sit lower and collect rainwater.

Drowning incident

Two teenagers, Salman and Ryadi, who first discovered the victims, said they heard screams for help while flying kites in a nearby field on Monday afternoon.

“We tried to find where the sound was coming from, and it led us to the pit. When we got there, we saw the children’s clothes by the water,” Salman said.

Salman immediately jumped into the pit and managed to pull one child out, while Ryadi rescued another. The two children were rushed to the Kanujoso Djatiwibowo Hospital in Balikpapan, but both died during transport.

Following the rescue of the two children, residents notified the Balikpapan Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), which dispatched a team to locate the remaining four children.

Endrow Sasmita, head of operations and preparedness at Basarnas Balikpapan, said divers entered the muddy pit despite almost zero visibility.

“The first victim was found about 15 minutes after we began diving, and soon after that the others were discovered one by one. None of them survived,” he said.

Authorities identified the victims as 5-year-old Anaya Zaira Azahra, 8-year-old Arafa Liman Azka Faiez, 11-year-old Ica Nawang, 12-year-old Alfa Kaltiana Hadi, 8-year-old Kartika Ardayanti and 9-year-old Muhammad Rifai Alamsyah.

Anaya, Arafa, Ica and Alfa were siblings.

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Heriyadi Bawono Putro, a forensic doctor at Kanujoso Djatiwibowo Hospital, said a visum et repertum revealed no signs of violence or significant injuries on the victims.

“They all showed indications of asphyxiation caused by lack of oxygen,” he said on Tuesday.

All six children were laid to rest at a local cemetery on Tuesday. (nal)