Surabaya. Police confirmed on Friday that a deadly explosion at the home of a police officer in Mojokerto, East Java, earlier this week was caused by firecrackers.

The explosion killed a woman and her two-year-old child who lived in a neighboring home in Sumolawang village, Puri District.

East Java Police Chief Imam Sugianto said that 2nd Sub-Inspector Maryudi had stored unused firecrackers from New Year’s celebrations in his house, intending to use them during the upcoming Ramadan.

The firecrackers accidentally detonated on January 13 while Maryudi was not at home, Imam said.

“Maryudi used firecrackers to celebrate the New Year with his children and neighbors. The leftover firecrackers were stored for Ramadan,” Imam explained.

The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, but police are investigating whether a cooking gas leak inside the house, reportedly occurring prior to the blast, may have triggered it, he added.

Maryudi is facing an ethics tribunal for negligence that resulted in fatalities, Imam noted.

Additionally, a criminal investigation is underway, involving eyewitness accounts and forensic evidence.

Witnesses described the explosion as so powerful that it could be heard up to two kilometers away. Neighbors also reported a strong sulfur smell following the incident, raising suspicions that explosive materials may have been stored in Maryudi’s house.
 

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