Indonesian factory owner suspect in deadly fire

JAKARTA: Three suspects have been named in connection to a deadly factory that killed 48 workers and was caused by sparks from welding equipment, police said Saturday.

The factory outside Jakarta had only been operating for six weeks on Thursday, killing nearly half of the company’s employees and injuring 45 others in one of Indo- nesia’s worst industrial accidents in recent memory.

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 trio could face a maximum - place negligence resulting in death.

“The witnesses’ testimonies and forensic test revealed the cause of - ment sparks which spread to the spokesman Argo Yuwono told a press conference.

Liyono and Hartanto have been questioned by police while Ega’s whereabouts are unknown.

Police also said that the company, Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses, employed at least three underage children, a violation which could lead to its closure.

in Indonesia, a sprawling country of more than 250 million people where

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.