Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses, a fireworks manufacturing factory in Kosambi, Tangerang, Indonesia.
An initial investigation by the Indonesian National Police suggested that an accidental ignition of gunpowder caused the blast and fire.
[8] The force of the explosion shook windows that were located at a radius of 4 km from the blast site.
Students at a nearby junior high school reportedly panicked, crying and poured into the street.
Eyewitnesses reported that women and teenagers were working at the factory when the explosion occurred.
Initial examination of the site suggested that several people had died during the fire and most of them were burnt beyond recognition.
In response to the disaster, the Indonesian Government formed a special commission to investigate the cause of the fire.
[17] According to the Indonesian National Police, the government had issued a legal license for the factory in 2016.
Indonesia National Commission of Human Rights also reported that the workers of the factory were underpaid.
[20] Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration investigated the factory for possible violations on the work safety procedures.
[21][22] They were also asked by the Indonesian House of Representatives to immediately visit the disaster site.
[23] Minister of Manpower Hanif Dakhiri stated that the ministry had formed a team to investigate possible violations on the work safety procedures.
According to the Indonesian National Police, welders Subarna Ega and Husnul were ordered by their boss Andri Hartanto to weld near an area where the fireworks were being laid on the ground.
[5] A spark from the welding accidentally contacted the 4,000 kilograms of gunpowder, which immediately exploded into a massive fireball which caused the fire.