Police investigate VIP stand collapse that injured 90 at Indonesia drift championship

Indonesian police are investigating the collapse of a temporary VIP spectator stand that injured 90 people during the third round of the 2026 National Drift Championship (Speed Fest #2) in Purwokerto, Central Java, on Sunday, 26 July 2026, with preliminary findings suggesting crowd movement triggered by a T-shirt giveaway may have contributed to the incident.

The stand collapsed at GOR Satria sports complex, sending spectators tumbling onto one another. The incident prompted an emergency response involving more than 20 ambulances, while the injured were taken to 11 hospitals for treatment.

Police examining cause of collapse

Banyumas Police Chief Senior Commissioner Petrus Silalahi said investigators had carried out a forensic examination of the scene and were continuing to investigate the cause of the collapse.

Based on preliminary findings, several drifters celebrated by throwing T-shirts towards the VIP stand. The giveaway prompted spectators to move suddenly and crowd together in an attempt to catch the merchandise, creating an uneven distribution of weight on the temporary structure.

Police believe the repeated shifting of spectators caused the non-permanent stand to move and shake before it eventually gave way. Petrus stressed, however, that the findings remain preliminary and that investigators are still examining all possible contributing factors.

"The investigation is still ongoing, so the exact cause is still being determined," Petrus said.

Police have also questioned at least 10 witnesses as part of the investigation.

Victims treated across 11 hospitals

In a statement posted on Instagram, event organisers said more than 20 ambulances were deployed following the collapse and that all 90 injured spectators received medical treatment according to their conditions.

The statement said the Banyumas regency administration, organisers and the Indonesian Motor Association (Ikatan Motor Indonesia/IMI) had continued coordinating medical care and monitoring the victims' conditions.

Banyumas Regent Sadewo Tri Lastiono, together with organisers and IMI representatives, visited injured spectators and their families to ensure they were receiving appropriate treatment, according to the statement.

The organisers also expressed their condolences over the incident and said they were working closely with police as the investigation continued.

Organisers accept responsibility for victims' treatment

By Monday evening, 40 injured spectators remained in hospital, while the remaining 50 had either been discharged or were receiving outpatient treatment, according to local media.

Speaking at a press conference in Purwokerto, organising committee chairman Yoshua Ernest Yonathan said the organisers would take full responsibility for victims by covering all medical expenses and cooperating fully with the police investigation.

He described the collapse as an incident the organisers had never expected and said their priority was ensuring that victims received prompt and appropriate medical care.

Deputy organising committee chair Putri Danizar said organisers had remained in contact with all victims to assess their needs and continued visiting hospitals following the incident. She also apologised to the victims, their families and everyone affected.

"All of the victims' needs are our responsibility. Hospitalisation and all related expenses will be covered," Putri said.

Championship halted after incident

The third round of Indonesia's 2026 National Drift Championship was suspended after the collapse.

The incident remains under police investigation as authorities work to establish the exact sequence of events and determine what caused the temporary VIP stand to fail.