JAKARTA: A police investigation has concluded that a family of four found dead while camping in Temanggung Regency, Central Java, late last month died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Muhamad Ali Munawar, 52, his wife Maghfirah, 43, and their two sons, Bagas Amar Hakiki, 21, and Alvino Evan Hakim, 16 were found unresponsive inside their tent on May 27 after a campground caretaker approached them to remind them of the check-out time. Authorities later confirmed that all four had died.
The deaths sparked nationwide attention and speculation, with many questioning the cause of the tragedy and whether foul play was involved.
Central Java Police Director of Criminal Investigation Sr. Comr. Muhammad Anwar Nasir said investigators had examined a range of possible causes of death, including food poisoning, before concluding that the family died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“As part of the investigation, we tested all food consumed by the victims, including breakfast that had been prepared but not yet eaten. However, no toxic substances were found in any of the food samples," Nasir told a press conference on Monday (June 15).
Nasir added that investigators also examined the victims' mobile phones and found no indication that the family had planned to take their own lives.
"An examination of the victims' phones found no messages or keywords related to suicide, nor any other indications that could suggest self-harm," he said.
Police likewise found no signs of violence on the victims' bodies. The family's tent was also found in a neat and orderly condition, leading investigators to rule out foul play.
A key breakthrough came after autopsies and forensic laboratory tests detected elevated levels of carbon monoxide in the victims' blood and urine samples.
"Based on the findings of the investigation, we have concluded that the four victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning, which led to fatal asphyxiation," Nasir said.
Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas that is colourless, odourless and difficult to detect without specialised equipment. Exposure to high concentrations can cause symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to loss of consciousness and death, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces where the gas can accumulate rapidly.
Temanggung Police Chief Senior Adjunct Commissioner Zamrul Aini said investigators concluded that the carbon monoxide responsible for the family's deaths was generated by charcoal briquettes burned in a clay stove provided by the campsite operator.
According to Zamrul, campground staff had advised the family against using the stove inside their tent because it could pose a fire hazard and lead to the accumulation of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
"Before the family retired to their tent, the staff reminded them not to light the stove indoors because it could pose a fire hazard and cause respiratory problems,” he said.
Investigators believe the family had initially used the stove outdoors for a barbecue before bringing it inside the tent, with the charcoal briquettes still smouldering, to keep warm overnight.
However, photographs and videos recovered from the victims' mobile phones showed that the stove had also been used to roast bananas inside the tent. Police suspect that carbon monoxide emitted by the burning charcoal accumulated inside the tightly sealed tent as the family slept.
Because the gas is colourless and odourless, the victims were likely unaware of the danger until they lost consciousness.
To verify the hypothesis, investigators conducted a series of simulations using a similar tent and charcoal stove.
In the first experiment, the stove was placed on the tent's porch with the entrance left open. Even under those conditions, carbon monoxide concentrations inside the tent continued to rise, exceeding 200 parts per million (ppm) within about an hour, far above the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of around 26 ppm for one-hour indoor exposure.
A second test was conducted with the stove placed inside a fully enclosed tent. Carbon monoxide levels rose dramatically, reaching approximately 2,000 ppm in a similar period, police said
At least 10 people across the country have died in suspected carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in recent weeks, with cases reportedly involving exposure to fumes from generators operated indoors and from individuals sleeping inside vehicles with the air conditioning running. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
