Police question 20 witnesses in billboards incident

The police have summoned the owner of Situ Gintung Restaurant and the management of Makro grocery store for questioning in connection with the collapse of three advertisement billboards that claimed a life and injured 25 others in Ciputat, South Tangerang, on Sunday.

Ciputat Police chief Insp. Ngisa Asngari said Tuesday that 20 people, including the restaurant owner and Makro management staff members, had been questioned as witnesses in relation to the incident.

“We have yet to name any suspects in the case,” he said.

The owner of Situ Gintung Restaurant had agreed to pay damages to 25 visitors who were injured in the accident, he said.

Heavy rain and strong wind caused the billboards and roof tiles to fall and hit visitors to the restaurant on Sunday. One of the visitors, identified as 60-year-old Yulianus Pattimuri, died after being hit by falling debris.

A few meters away from the restaurant, a giant billboard in front of the Makro grocery store on Jl. Juanda also fell, hitting an SUV, a public minibus, a minivan, a sedan and two motorcycles.