Indonesia investigates deadly ammunition explosion that killed 13 in Garut VIDEO

Thirteen individuals, including four members of the Indonesian Defence Forces (TNI), were killed on May 12 in a tragic explosion during the disposal of expired ammunition in Sagara village, Garut district, West Java.

According to Major General Kristomei Sianturi, Chief of the TNI’s Information Office, the explosion occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. local time at a site regularly used for ammunition disposal by the Garut District Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA), Caliber.Az reports citing Indonesian media.

The operation entailed personnel attempting to safely neutralize and dispose of obsolete and surplus military ammunition.

Seharusnya lebih berhati hati agar tidak terjadi seperti ini.
Ledakan amunisi tak layak pakai, tewaskan 11 orang.
Pemusnahan amunis ini dilakukan oleh TNI di desa sagara, cibalog, kabupaten garut, jawa barat.
Desa sagara pic.twitter.com/MJgTToGOCk

— icibos (@ArdaniTsaq20995) May 12, 2025

"The Garut BKSDA site has been regularly used for the disposal of expired ammunition," Major General Sianturi explained during a televised interview from Jakarta. He added that the munitions originated from Ammunition Depot No. 3 of the Indonesian Army Equipment Centre (Puspalad).

He confirmed that all the victims’ bodies have been evacuated to Pameungpeuk Regional General Hospital for autopsy and pre-funeral arrangements. "We are coordinating with on-site officers to secure and clear the incident site as a precaution against other potential explosions," he added.

The military has launched an official investigation into the cause of the blast. “We will detail the causes of the explosion later,” Sianturi stated, emphasizing that the site remains under tight control to prevent further incidents.

Army Chief of Staff, General Maruli Simanjuntak, also confirmed the deadly explosion and said the cause remains under investigation.

The incident marks one of the deadliest non-combat-related military accidents in recent years for Indonesia, drawing national attention to the handling and disposal protocols of outdated munitions.

By Vafa Guliyeva