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.

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.

Then just after 10pm on June 19, officers ignited the pile of explosive power so as to eliminate any danger to the public.

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.

They clearly miscalculated. Reports say residents within a 3 kilometre radius felt the massive explosion.

A total of 56 homes were damaged, some quite badly, according to an investigation by regency police.

One woman was hospitalized for shock but no one, luckily, was harmed in the mishap.

Humiliated and compelled to respond, police have apologised to affected residents and promised the department will pay for all damages caused by their incompetence.