Indonesia quarry collapse kills 13, leaves 6 missing

At least 13 people have died and six others are missing after a stone quarry collapsed in West Java, Indonesia, on Friday morning, local officials confirmed.

The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. in the Cirebon district. Rescuers managed to pull more than a dozen survivors from the debris, including six who were hospitalized with serious injuries. Search efforts were suspended at nightfall due to poor visibility and unstable soil but are expected to resume early Saturday with heavy machinery deployed.

Local police chief Sumarni said over two dozen workers were trapped when the quarry gave way. Authorities are still investigating the cause and have begun questioning the site’s owner and workers.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, who visited the site before taking office in late 2024, said he had flagged safety concerns but lacked authority to act at the time. Following the collapse, he ordered the permanent closure of the quarry and four nearby operations, citing environmental and safety risks.

The same quarry suffered a collapse in February without casualties. Mining accidents remain common in Indonesia, especially at informal or unregulated sites where safety standards are often ignored. In 2024, at least 23 people were killed by a landslide at an illegal gold mine on Sulawesi island.

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