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Indonesian Gas Explosion Terror Continues
Jakarta Globe | July 28, 2010

State oil and gas company Pertamina gas cylinders are continuing to explode with devastating consequences. (Antara Photo) State oil and gas company Pertamina gas cylinders are continuing to explode with devastating consequences. (Antara Photo)
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Lampung, Indonesia. A Lampung man suffered severe burns after a three-kilogram LPG cylinder exploded on Wednesday, just a day after provincial authorities confiscated hundreds or illegal gas cylinders stocked in a number of stores.

Sukardi was cooking instant noodles in his home in Tanggamus when the explosion — the latest in an almost daily rash of similar explosions throughout Indonesia — occurred.

The victim’s family bathed his badly burned body in a pool of water before he was rushed to Abdul Muluk Hospital in Bandar Lampung.

On Tuesday, the Lampung Office of Industry and Trade and state oil and gas company Pertamina launched a crackdown, confiscating 189 three-kilogram gas cylinders and 50 12-kilogram cylinders without the required Indonesian National Standards (SNI) certification.

The shop owners said the cylinders had been ordered from Jakarta.

Raid coordinator Dedi Syailendra told Metro TV that the confiscated cylinders would be taken to Pertamina headquarters in Lampung.

“We conducted the raid based on complaints from locals who were concerned about the distribution of allegedly illegal gas cylinders,” Dedi said.

Another gas explosion took place in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday night. Two people were badly injured after a 12-kilogram cylinder exploded in their kitchen. Police said the explosion was caused by a faulty hose.

On Monday, Pertamina president director Karen Agustiawan said that when the government’s disastrous kerosene-to-gas conversion program was launched in 2006, the company was solely responsible for the program.

Since then, four ministries — finance, industry, trade and manpower — had become involved, she said.

“In the beginning, Pertamina was given sole charge of the scheme because it did not seem problematic,” Karen said. “Then more and more authorities became involved and the scheme experienced more problems.

“There are now too many institutions involved and it would be better if we reduced them to a maximum of two.”

When asked whether Pertamina was ready to take sole charge of the program she said: “We are ready.”

There have been hundreds of gas stove explosions since the conversion scheme was introduced, involving many deaths and severe injuries.

With the toll from the explosions continuing to mount, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier this month ordered an investigation into the problem.

Most of the explosions have involved the three-kilogram cylinders distributed by the government, leading to follow-up efforts to replace faulty parts, arrest illegal distributors and compensate victims.