JAKARTA: Three suspects have been named in connection to a deadly blaze at an Indonesian fireworks factory that killed 48 workers and was caused by sparks from welding equipment, police said Saturday. Factory owner Indra Liyono was named a suspect by police along with the company’s operational director Andri Hartanto and welding equipment operator Subarna Ega. “The witnesses’ testimonies and forensic test revealed the cause of the fire was the welding equipment sparks which spread to the fireworks material,” Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono told a press conference. Deadly fires are not uncommon in Indonesia, a sprawling country of more than 250 million people where safety regulations are often flouted. The International Labor Organization (ILO) said Indonesia needed to increase its number of labor inspectors, which was fewer than 2000, and raise safety awareness among workers.

Source: Manila Times October 28, 2017 08:26 UTC