Chain Collision Kills 16 People in Bojonegoro

Bojonegoro, E Java - Some 16 people were killed in a chain collision involving a cement tank-truck, a cement-laden truck and several other cars on a road in Sumberrejo village, East Java, police said on Wednesday. "The fatalities were spectators of a Ketoprak (traditional Javanese comical stage play) performance that was taking place on a sidewalk ," Bojonegoro police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Widodo said, adding that the accident happened on Tuesday (July 12) at 10:00pm. The fatalities were identified as Wahyu (20), Suratno (45), Sumanggiono (15), Slamet (60), Wartono (25), Budi P (16), Wariyo (35), Yanto (37), Edi Purnomo (17), Ira (3), Rudi (15), Bambang (29), Lugianto (18), Anto (18), Ndari(26), and another person who could not be identified immediately. Five of the 16 fatalities were found in a house belonging to Mari (49), a local resident who was hosting a wedding party, after the five ill-fated persons were buried in a pile of cement that had spilled out from the truck that crashed into Mari's residence. On the chronology of the accident, the police chief said it happened in front of Mari's home, a local resident who was holding a wedding party where hundreds of local residents on both sides of the street were watching the ketoprak performance. In addition to the 16 fatalities, ten other people suffered serious injuries, three others slight injuries, and at least ten motorbikes belonging to the ketoprak spectators were seriously damaged. All the victims have been evacuated to the Widodo Ngawi hospital in Margomulyo sub-district, Widodo added.