Explosions Heard as Duri-Tangerang Commuter Line Stalls

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Passengers aboard a Duri-Tangerang Commuter Line (KRL) train were startled by three explosions before the train suddenly stopped at the RT 01/RW 11 level crossing in Rawa Buaya, Cengkareng, West Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.

"I heard an explosion. It went off, the train stopped, started up again, exploded again, then stopped, started up, exploded again, and then stopped yet again," Tasya, 25, said at the scene, as reported by Antara. "Not long after, the train just sat there where it is now, and the sound came from inside the train, like a sharp 'bang.'"

The blasts, Tasya added, instantly knocked out the power, plunging the carriages into darkness and causing panic among the passengers inside.

Fearing the situation might escalate into something far worse, Tasya and several other commuters eventually decided to abandon their journey.

"I was traveling from Kampung Bandan to Tangerang, but I got off right here at the Rawa Buaya level crossing once the train doors finally opened," Tasya said.

Her account was echoed by fellow passenger Butar, 45, who happened to be sitting inside the third carriage when the explosion was heard.

"I was in carriage three, and then I heard the explosion coming from right inside our car; there were three blasts at around 5:00 p.m.," Butar recounted.

He immediately scrambled toward the front carriages to get away from the noise. However, unlike those who evacuated, Butar and a handful of other passengers chose to stay on board, waiting for the train to resume operations.

A field observation by news agency Antara at 6:40 p.m. showed the train still paralyzed on the tracks, with a visible split between passengers who had fled and those remaining inside the dim carriages. The interior lights remained dark, occasionally flickering as the train's electrical system sputtered.

The unusual scene quickly drew a crowd of curious local residents, with both adults and children gathering around the rear carriage, which blocked the heavily trafficked intersection.

Meanwhile, the crossing barriers heading toward Jalan Daan Mogot and the opposite lane remained firmly down.

The gridlock left numerous motorists stranded, forcing some to turn back in search of alternative routes while others parked their vehicles right at the barrier to watch the stalled train.

Adding to the chaotic atmosphere, the crossing's emergency sirens wailed continuously to warn of the track obstruction. The situation grew increasingly tense as several operational trains from the opposite direction (Tangerang to Duri) passed by on the adjacent track.

The presence of the stalled train, combined with the dense crowd of onlookers swelling near the tracks, forced the passing trains to slow down. As of this writing, state rail operator KAI has yet to issue an official statement regarding the cause of the incident.

Read: Mounting Casualties at Level Crossings

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