JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Eight people were killed in Saturday morning's blast outside a shop selling pork in Palu, capital of Central Sulawesi province of Indonesia, and all fatalities have been identified with 45 others rushed to hospitals.

(Photo: Xinhua/REUTERS)

    Witnesses said the bomb exploded inside the kiosk just after 7 a.m. local time (6 a.m. Jakarta time). It was crowded with Christians shopping for the New Year's dinner, the Jakarta Post daily reported.

    "If the blast had occurred one hour later, there would have been more casualties because that would have been the peak of the shopping time," Effendi, one of the shoppers was quoted as saying. He was queuing outside the kiosk when the bomb exploded.

    The kiosk -- apparently a favorite one among locals -- is located in front of a house that is used as the place to slaughter pigs. Opposite the kiosk is the Bethel Church.

    Police have cordoned off the area while conducting their investigation. Police also check all vehicles leaving and entering Palu.

    Another bomb was found on the scene and was defused by police bomb squad.

    "This is a deliberate act to disrupt the New Year celebrations," Brig. Gen. Oegroseno, Central Sulawesi Police Chief, said at the blast scene.

    He refused to identify the perpetrators pending further investigations. Enditem