Explosion in Medan Luxury Housing Kills 3, Destroys Home and Damages Neighbors

Three people were confirmed dead following a house explosion in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, as reported by CNN Indonesia. The joint SAR team discovered the bodies of three victims trapped under the rubble on the second floor of the house in Grand Polonia on Tuesday (21/7) evening. With the discovery of these three victims, the evacuation of all casualties has been completed. Kapolrestabes Medan, Kombes Pol Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak, stated that the sixth and final victim was successfully evacuated at precisely 18:00 WIB and has been transported to a hospital in Medan. He confirmed that the total number of deceased victims is three. The explosion occurred in a three-story house located in the upscale Grand Polonia housing complex in Medan Polonia District, Medan City, on Tuesday (21/7) afternoon. The force of the blast caused severe damage, leading to the collapse of a significant portion of the building's structure. In addition to the house that was the epicenter of the explosion, three parked cars in front of the residence were also destroyed. Several neighboring houses on the left, right, and front of the location also sustained damage from the powerful shockwave. The three deceased victims have been identified as Ros, a household assistant; Sinta, a babysitter; and Jesika, the wife of the homeowner. Four individuals survived the incident: Jeavelin (2), Hasan, a driver, and a courier whose names are yet to be disclosed. They were taken to a hospital in Medan. The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation by the police and relevant teams. However, initial findings suggest a possible gas leak from underground pipelines in the area. Officials from PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) are participating in the joint assessment and investigation. The police stated that the collected evidence will be presented after the investigation is completed. Medan, as a major economic and cultural hub in Sumatra, has areas with luxury housing. This incident may highlight issues related to infrastructure maintenance and safety management.