Explosion Hits Pasar Cimanggis in South Tangerang
A powerful explosion rocked the Pasar Cimanggis shopping complex in Ciputat, South Tangerang city, Banten, on Wednesday (14/10/2026) at around 6:15 PM local time — just after the evening Maghrib prayer. The blast killed two people and injured eleven others.
The force of the explosion severely damaged four blocks of two-storey shophouses. Building walls were blown through to the rear, and kiosks and vendors' stalls in the traditional market area were also hit by rubble.
As of Thursday morning (15/10/2026), a joint search-and-rescue team was still combing the site to make sure no other victims remained trapped under the rubble.
Police Confirm the Cimanggis Explosion Was Not a Bomb
The Director of General Crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri), Brigadier General Susatyo Purnomo Condro, confirmed the explosion was not caused by a bomb. The conclusion came from a crime-scene examination involving the bomb disposal unit and related teams.
The exact source and trigger of the blast, however, remain under investigation. Police have questioned five witnesses at the South Tangerang police office to establish the chronology and origin of the explosion.
The two-storey shophouse at the blast epicentre turned out to be used as a warehouse for storing and packing fruit for distribution to several markets. In the most severely damaged area, officers found large piles of unripe bananas and a 52-kilogram ethylene gas cylinder — a gas commonly used to help ripen fruit. Police stressed that any link between the cylinder and the explosion is still being examined, with further crime-scene work involving the Bareskrim forensic laboratory (Puslabfor) scheduled to continue on Friday morning.
Victims Evacuated from the Shophouse Rubble
Preliminary data recorded 13 victims: two dead and eleven injured. The two fatalities, identified as Riko and Achmad Tri Prasetyo, were recovered from behind the building rubble. Several victims had been pinned under the collapsed shophouses.
Of the eleven injured, four were reported in critical condition. Two of them, Andri and Andre, suffered burns covering up to 90 percent of their bodies. The victims are being treated at three hospitals: RSUD Tangerang Selatan, RS Sari Asih Ciputat, and Fatmawati Hospital.
The Ciputat Timur police chief, Commissioner Bambang Askar Sodiq, said rescue was the top priority during the initial response. "For now we are saving the victims first, saving people first," he said.
50 Brimob Personnel Deployed, Search Continues
The Metro Jaya Mobile Brigade (Brimob) deployed around 50 personnel, consisting of 20 patrol officers of the C Pelopor Battalion, 20 search-and-rescue personnel, and 10 members of the Gegana composite unit. The operation was led by the C Pelopor Battalion commander, Commissioner Toha Subakat, alongside the South Tangerang police and related agencies.
The head of the Jakarta Search and Rescue office, Desiana Kartika Bahari, confirmed that search and rescue efforts continue with SAR potential units and related agencies, prioritising personnel safety and coordination throughout the operation.
