Indonesia: At least 23 dead in firecracker factory fire

By Ainur Rohmah

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - At least 23 people were killed and 34 others wounded Thursday in a fire at a firecracker factory in Tangerang -- a satellite city of Jakarta, police confirmed.

"After checking inside the factory, the Disaster Victim Idenfitication team found an estimated 23 burned bodies in a shed," Jakarta Police spokesman Commissioner Argo Yuwono was quoted as saying by Kompas news website.

The spokesman said the workers were allegedly stuck in the shed because the only exit door was locked.

The bodies were so badly burned that they were hard to identify, he added.

The fire broke out at 9 a.m. local time (0200GMT), Yuwono said, adding the PT. Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses factory had started operating only about two months ago.

Eyewitnesses around the scene of the fire heard two explosions coming from the warehouse and smoke exiting the roof of the building, according to the Kompas.

People around the factory reportedly broke down the shed's walls to rescue the workers trapped in the building.

Most of the bodies have been taken to the nearest hospital to be identified.

Director of General Crimes Unit at Jakarta Police, Sn. Comm. Nico Afinta said 103 workers were employed at the factory, and a search-and-rescue operation was ongoing to find the missing employees.