Explosion at Pakuwon City Shophouses in Surabaya: Pungent Gas Smell, Injured Victims Rushed to RS Haji

A powerful explosion flattened part of the San Antonio shophouse complex in the Pakuwon City area, Jalan Kalisari Utara, Surabaya, on Tuesday (6/10) morning. The incident, which occurred at around 07.10 WIB, not only left rubble behind but also raised serious questions about a potential gas leak in the area dense with economic activity.

An eyewitness at the scene, Budi Armanto (35), said that he and his wife had smelled a sharp gas odor before the explosion occurred. At the time, the two were waiting for a food stall to open, about 30 meters from the blast point. "My wife said, why does the gas smell so pungent. Not long after we talked about that gas smell, the food hadn't arrived, and it suddenly exploded loudly," Budi told the media at the scene.

The impact of the explosion was described as tremendous. Budi said his ears were ringing from the sound of the blast, while glass shards from the destroyed shophouses were thrown as far as his parked car. Shortly after the incident, he saw a number of people coming out of the shophouse area in tattered clothes and with injuries suspected to be burns. "It was terrifying. My ears are still somewhat ringing even now. I saw around three to five victims in tattered clothes, possibly burns, and they were immediately evacuated," he added.

The Head of the Fire Suppression Division of the Surabaya City Fire and Rescue Service, M Rokhim, confirmed the evacuation of victims. "The latest info is that injured victims were taken to RS Haji," Rokhim said. He added that the exact cause of the incident could not yet be determined. The Inafis team has been deployed to the scene to carry out a thorough identification. "The cause is still being investigated by the inafis team at the location," he said.

The emergency response moved quickly. Surabaya Command Center 112 received the initial report at 07.11 WIB, only one minute after the explosion. A joint team was immediately deployed for evacuation, area sterilization, and securing the location to prevent follow-up incidents. In its official statement, Command Center 112 urged residents to seek alternative routes because the road access was being used by officers' vehicles.

This incident highlights the importance of gas safety protocols in commercial areas such as Pakuwon City, which is a center of business and residential activity in East Surabaya. An explosion preceded by a gas smell indicates a possible leak, although the official cause is still awaiting the results of the Inafis investigation. If negligence in the maintenance of gas installations is proven, this could trigger a thorough evaluation of safety standards in shophouses and similar commercial buildings.

In addition to injured victims, material damage was also significant. Glass shards and building debris were scattered, while vehicles around the location were also affected. The evacuation and cooling process is still ongoing, and local authorities have not yet released the amount of material losses. Residents nearby are asked to remain alert and stay away from areas not yet declared safe.

As of the publication of this news, there has been no official statement regarding the exact number of victims or the cause of the explosion. The Inafis investigation will be key to determining whether this incident was purely an accident or whether there were other factors. The public awaits transparency in the investigation results, especially given the strategic and busy location of the incident. If an element of negligence is found, it is not impossible that there will be legal demands or improvements to gas safety regulations in similar areas.

Going forward, this event serves as a reminder that the safety of gas infrastructure in public spaces cannot be ignored. Will this explosion push the city government and area managers to conduct a thorough audit of gas installations? Or will this incident pass without systemic improvement? The answer depends on the results of the investigation and the policy response that follows.