CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIA — In a moment of perfect irony, police in central Java, Indonesia set fire to or otherwise damaged 56 houses when they disposed of a massive cache of illegal fireworks, meant as a message to the public warning of the danger of fireworks. <br /> <br />Police had seized a massive 287 kilograms of fireworks powder and 14,500 separate items in a raid on an illegal factory that also netted 24 suspects. <br /> <br />Then just after 10pm on June 19, officers ignited the pile of explosive power so as to eliminate any danger to the public. <br /> <br />And they botched in in spectacular fashion. Video shows the first explosion create a plume of white smoke. But where there’s smoke there’s fire and, boy, did it come! According to Tribata News, police first emptied the powder from containers into a loose pile on the ground so as to reduce the intensity of the explosive combustion. <br /> <br />They clearly miscalculated. Reports say residents within a 3 kilometre radius felt the massive explosion. <br /> <br />A total of 56 homes were damaged, some quite badly, according to an investigation by regency police. <br /> <br />One woman was hospitalized for shock but no one, luckily, was harmed in the mishap. <br /> <br />Humiliated and compelled to respond, police have apologised to affected residents and promised the department will pay for all damages caused by their incompetence.
