Active grenade found after deadly Papua blast: police

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA) - An Indonesian police bomb disposal unit found and destroyed an active pineapple-type hand grenade at the site of a deadly explosion linked to a suspected World War Two-era bomb in Papua's Biak Numfor District on Monday (June 1).Biak Numfor Police Chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Ari Trestiawan, told ANTARA on Monday evening the grenade was discovered during an inspection by the National Police bomb squad (Gegana) from Papua Police's Mobile Brigade unit. The explosive was safely detonated at about 6 p.m. local time.

Trestiawan said the bomb squad would resume inspections on Tuesday because the team had arrived in Biak only on Monday afternoon, limiting the scope of the initial operation. He urged residents to stay away from the blast site until authorities complete clearance work and declare the area free of explosive materials.

"Crime scene processing has not yet begun because the Gegana bomb squad is still conducting clearance operations," Trestiawan said.

Investigators have postponed a full forensic examination pending completion of sterilization efforts to ensure no additional explosives remain in the area, he added.

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The explosion, believed to have originated from a World War Two-era bomb, killed five people, namely Deflin Raubaba, 41; Moris Raubaba, 24; Karmila Ayorbaba, 25; Israel Raubaba, 7; and Isril Raubaba, 5.

The blast also left three people missing and injured 19 others. Nine houses were damaged, affecting 10 families with a combined total of 55 residents, according to local authorities.

All 55 displaced residents are currently being housed in temporary shelters provided by the Biak Numfor regional government while emergency response and assessment efforts continue.

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The explosion occurred at about 2:45 p.m. local time on Sunday in the Fisheries Complex area of Biak Kota Subdistrict in Biak Numfor, Papua. Authorities are continuing investigations into the incident.