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View all search resultsDeadly Ciputat blast put free meals safety under scrutiny
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Illustration of a police tape sealing a crime scene. (Courtesy of/Shutterstock)
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deadly explosion at a warehouse in Cimanggis Market in Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Wednesday has raised questions about safety oversight across the government’s free nutritious meal program, as police investigate whether the facility was part of the initiative’s supply chain.
The blast occurred at around 6.15 p.m. at a fruit storage warehouse, damaging at least four blocks of shophouses nearby. At least two people were killed and 11 injured as of Thursday afternoon, according to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim).
Bareskrim director Brig. Gen. Susatyo Purnomo Condro said the explosion appeared to have been caused by a gas leak. Investigations found a 52-kilogram cylinder of ethylene gas, which is commonly used to accelerate fruit ripening, at the site.
The victims were passersby and warehouse workers, police said. Witnesses reported that workers were still packing fruit when the explosion occurred.
Police are also investigating reports that the warehouse supplied a kitchen preparing free nutritious meals under President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship program.
“We will investigate further [the possible link to the free meals program], but so far, the facts are that there was an ethylene gas cylinder and piles of unripe bananas found in the explosion area,” Susatyo told reporters on Thursday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
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