A large explosion occurred during the process of destroying age-old ammunition at the Third Central Munition Warehouse of the Indonesian Army Equipment Center in Sagara Village, Cibalong Sub-district, Garut, West Java, on Monday morning, May 12, 2025, killing13 people − four Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers and nine civilians.

An official statement by the Indonesian Army Headquarters said that the explosion occurred after the initial destruction procedure was declared safe.

"The explosion was carried out after the conditions were declared safe by officers. However, an unexpected explosion occurred in the third hole where the detonator was destroyed," Army spokesman, Brigadier General Wahyu Yudhayana, said on Monday.

This incident raised public concerns about the presence of civilians in the military destruction area. TNI Spokesman, Major General Kristomei Sianturi, said that the location was a plot of land owned by the Garut Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) which was usually used by the Indonesian Army to destroy age-old ammunition.

He also revealed that local residents often approached the location after the explosion to collect metal fragments with economic value.

"Usually residents approach after the explosion to collect the remaining metal fragments, copper, and iron from the ammunition because they have a selling value," Kristomei said.

Pameungpeuk Regional Hospital reported that all victims who were taken to the hospital were dead. "There were no injured victims who were treated," said Dr. Aziz Akhmad of the Pameungpeuk hospital to the media.

The incident in Garut was the fifth such explosion occurring since the New Order government era.

The first incident was recorded on October 29, 1984 at the Marine Corps’ Arsenal in Cilandak, South Jakarta, killing 15 people, injuring 26 others, and destroying 1,500 houses.

Second was an explosion at the Indonesian Navy’s Frogmen Command Warehouse in Pondok Dayung, North Jakarta on March 5, 2014, killing one soldier and injuring dozens others.

Third was an explosion at the Warehouse of the Police’s Mobile Brigade Command in Srondol, Semarang, Central Java on September 19, 2019, destroying 44 residents’ houses.

Fourth was an explosion at the Jakarta Military Command’s Arsenal in Cilangsana, Bogor Regency, West Java on March 30, 2024, affecting 135 families in the surrounding areas.