Bandar Lampung. At least seven construction workers died after a construction hoist collapsed at a school building in Bandar Lampung, located in the southern tip of Sumatra, on Wednesday. However, initially, a security guard told visiting journalists that nothing had happened.

The incident also resulted in severe injuries to two workers.

The management of Azzahra Islamic School in Bandar Lampung did not immediately report the deadly incident to the police. The school building is situated in front of the Bandar Lampung Metropolitan Police headquarters on Jalan DI Pandjaitan in the capital of Lampung province.

The security guard, identified as Arifan Hidayat, claimed that he saw nothing when journalists arrived at the scene and asked him questions. 

"Nothing happened here. I was on the evening shift, and the workers from the afternoon shift didn't say anything to me," Arifan said.

However, when police officers arrived at the scene following a tipoff from the nearby Bumi Waras Hospital, who had received the victims, Arifan couldn't lie. He informed the officers that the elevator had been carrying nine male workers when it collapsed. He also mentioned that he had assisted in evacuating the victims to the car.

"It occurred at around 16.30 WIB [Western Indonesian Time] when the workers were preparing to go home after completing their job on the upper floor," Arifan said. "Soon after it happened, I helped carry the victims to the car. All nine victims are adult men."

He added that the victims were transported to the hospital in four cars.

The Bandar Lampung Police have stated that an investigation is currently underway to determine if the incident involved criminal negligence. Chief Comr. Dennis Arya Putra, the lead investigator, stated that his team is interrogating witnesses and collecting evidence from the scene.

"When the incident occurred, the school management did not make a report to the police," Dennis said. "We learned about the incident from someone at Bumi Waras Hospital, and we immediately sent a team to investigate the scene."

According to the preliminary investigation, the hoist fell from a height of 25 meters.

The identities of the deceased individuals are as follows:

1.    Udin, 65, residing at Jalan Pangeran Emir M. Noer, Bandar Lampung.
2.    Rahmatullah, 38, residing at Jalan AMD Tanjung Jati, Bandar Lampung.
3.    Selamet Saparudin, 44, residing at Jalan AMD Kota Jawa No. 21, Bandar Lampung.
4.    Romi, 32, residing at Jalan Dr. Harun 1, Bandar Lampung.
5.    Edi Mulyono, 38, residing at Jalan Suban Marbau Mataram, South Lampung.
6.    Asep Nursyamsi, 39, residing in Tanjung Jati, Teluk Betung Timur, Bandar Lampung.
7.    Ahmad Burhan, 39, residing at Jalan Bungur, Bandar Lampung.

Two other workers are in critical condition at the hospital. Their identities are Sutaji bin Matdasin, 26, and Herizal bin Matsim, 41.

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