Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup 2022
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obituaries
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • All Woman
  • Career & Education
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Classifieds
  • Design Week
Indonesia police: Stadium exit gates too small for escape
A woman takes a moment for the victims of Saturday's soccer match stampede in front of gate 13 at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, Indonesia, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. Indonesian police said Tuesday that the gates at the soccer stadium where police fired tear gas and set off a deadly crush were too small and could only accommodate two at a time when hundreds were trying to escape. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Latest News
October 4, 2022

Indonesia police: Stadium exit gates too small for escape

MALANG, Indonesia (AP) — The gates at the Indonesian soccer stadium where police fired tear gas that set off a deadly crush were too small and could only accommodate two at a time when hundreds were trying to escape, police investigators said Tuesday.

Photos from the Malang stadium where 125 people died and hundreds were injured on Saturday night in one of the deadliest disasters during sporting events showed four connecting door panels forming one gate. There were 14 gates in total.

Police said the investigation was focused on video recordings from surveillance cameras at six of the 14 gates where most of the victims died. Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said the gates were unlocked but only able to accommodate two people.

“For those six gates, they were not closed but they were too small. They had a capacity for two people but there were hundreds coming out. There was a crush there,” Prasetyo told reporters. He added that the gates were the responsibility of the organizers.

Most of the deaths occurred when riot police fired tear gas and triggered a crush of fans making a panicked, chaotic run for the exits. Police acted after some of the 42,000 Arema FC fans ran onto the pitch in anger after their team was defeated 3-2, its first loss at home against visiting Persebaya Surabaya in 23 years.

On Monday, police announced they had removed one police chief and nine elite officers and 18 others were being investigated for responsibility in the firing of tear gas inside the stadium.

Contrary to the police account, some survivors said that some of the exit gates were locked and they were unable to escape. Most of them mentioned specifically Gate 13.

According to recommendations by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, exits at stadiums must be unlocked at all times during the game for safety purposes. Those rules don’t necessarily apply to domestic or national leagues but nevertheless are a safety standard, as is the recommendation against the use of tear gas as a crowd-control measure.

“People tried to save themselves after tear gas was fired. My group was separated from each other,” said Prasetyo Pujiono, a 32-year-old farmer from Malang, who watched the match with friends near Gate 13.

“People could not stay anymore inside the stadium. We wanted to escape but the gate was closed. That is why most people died as they were trampled or suffocated,” he said. “I remember they were screaming that they cannot breathe and their eyes hurt.”

Those trying to escape finally broke through the wall next to Gate 13, leaving behind a big hole with the scrawled graffiti that read: “Goodbye my brothers and sisters. 01-10-2022”

Hundreds of Arema supporters and local residents have been paying tribute to the victims at Gates 13 and 12 since Monday. They prayed together, dropped rose petals, flower bouquets and placed several Arema scarves around the gates.

Pujianto said he moved more than 20 bodies that lay scattered around Gate 13.

“Poor them. So many bodies were scattered at Gate 13. We could not have gotten out if we had not moved them. So my friends and I carried them to the field,” he said.

Evita Triawardani, a 26-year-old Arema supporter, said that in every match she had attended, the organiser usually opened the gates 15 to 20 minutes before the game ended. But that Saturday night, she said Gate 13 was closed. She saved herself by running out of the stadium through Gate 14, which she said was open.

She said she saw people crying and gasping for air amid tear gas clouds, and parents holding their children above their shoulders so they could breathe. At least 17 children were among the dead.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Jamaica hold off Puerto Rico 1-0 to advance to Concacaf Boyz U20
Football, Latest News, Sports
Jamaica hold off Puerto Rico 1-0 to advance to Concacaf Boyz U20
March 3, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica qualified for the 2026 Concacaf Under-20 Boys Championships after edging Puerto Rico 1-0 in their Qualifiers - Round 1 Gro...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
90-y-o ‘Mass Joe’ benefits from house refurbished after Hurricane Melissa through community effort
Latest News, News
90-y-o ‘Mass Joe’ benefits from house refurbished after Hurricane Melissa through community effort
March 3, 2026
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — A nine-decade resident of New Town known locally as “Mass Joe” has been given a new lease on life after Hurricane Melissa left...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaican sign language training programme for public libraries launched
Latest News, News
Jamaican sign language training programme for public libraries launched
March 3, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Libraries and Information Network (JAMLIN) has launched a phased Jamaican Sign Language (JSL) training programme aimed...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaica must consider social media restrictions, experts say
Latest News, News
Jamaica must consider social media restrictions, experts say
DANA MALCOLM, Observer Online reporter, malcolmd@jamaicaobserver.com 
March 3, 2026
As more countries mull social media bans for children of certain ages and a landmark trial unfolds in the United States over use of the platforms, loc...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Latest News, Sports
Jamaica name unchanged team for U20 clash against Puerto Rico
March 3, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican coaching staff has named an unchanged team for Tuesday’s critical Concacaf Boys' U-20 Qualifiers - Round 1 Group B to...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Latest News, Sports
Jamaica name unchanged team for U20 clash against Puerto Rico
March 3, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican coaching staff have named an unchanged team for Tuesday’s critical Concacaf Boys U-20 Qualifiers - Round 1 Group B to...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Bail extended for Lisa Hyper
Latest News, News
Bail extended for Lisa Hyper
March 3, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Bail was extended for dancehall artiste Lisa Hyper, whose given name is Felicia Gooden, when she appeared in the Kingston and St A...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Winston Jones High student breaks barriers with excellence: Jaydon Morgan shines in housekeeping
Latest News, News
Winston Jones High student breaks barriers with excellence: Jaydon Morgan shines in housekeeping
March 3, 2026
MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Among the many students demonstrating commitment to their craft at Winston Jones High School is fifth-form student Jaydon Morgan...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct