Explosion tears apart shoe shop in Surabaya, Indonesia, leaving five hospitalised
CCTV has captured the moment a sneaker shop was torn apart by an explosion in the San Antonio area of Surabaya, Indonesian authorities have confirmed. The blast hit a commercial area of the city and left the shop badly damaged, with debris scattered across the surrounding site. Police said five people were hospitalised after the incident.
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Authorities said the explosion was strongly suspected to have been caused by a gas leak. They added that no suspicious substances or explosives were found at the site, indicating that investigators were treating the blast as an accidental incident pending further confirmation. The footage has helped establish the timing and force of the explosion, which tore through the premises in a matter of seconds.
Police also said at least 41 buildings were damaged by the blast. That figure suggests the impact extended well beyond the shoe shop itself and affected nearby properties in the San Antonio area. The scale of the damage points to a significant local disruption, even though the number of confirmed injuries remains limited to those hospitalised.
The incident matters because explosions in densely built urban areas can quickly become public safety emergencies, especially when the cause is not immediately clear. In this case, the early focus on a possible gas leak places attention on building safety, utility systems and emergency response in a busy commercial district. The confirmation that no explosives or suspicious substances were found has also shaped the initial official assessment.
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Surabaya is one of Indonesia's largest cities and a major economic centre on the island of Java, so damage to dozens of buildings can have wider consequences for businesses and residents. The San Antonio area, where the blast occurred, is now likely to remain under scrutiny as investigators work to determine exactly what happened. The incident also adds to broader concerns about fire and explosion risks in urban commercial settings.
What remains unclear is the precise cause of the explosion and whether any further injuries or structural damage will be identified as checks continue. Police have not yet said whether the gas leak theory has been fully confirmed. The next stage is likely to involve a more detailed technical assessment of the site and surrounding buildings.
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