Blast at Indonesia munition storage kills soldier: army

An explosion in a military munition warehouse on Indonesia's Java island killed one soldier and injured six others on Thursday, an army spokesman said, describing it as an accident.

Spokesman Donny Pramono said soldiers were carrying out "inspection and maintenance procedures" at the site in Madiun district when the blast occurred.

"One personnel was declared dead, four suffered serious injuries, and two others suffered minor injuries," Donny told a televised news conference, adding that military investigators will look into the incident.

Last year, at least four soldiers and nine civilians were killed when Indonesian troops attempted to dispose of rejected munitions by detonating them in a pit.

In 2024, multiple explosions ripped through a military ammunition warehouse on the outskirts of Jakarta, forcing evacuations but causing no casualties.