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Fire At Indonesian Oil Depot Kills 17; Thousands Evacuated
JAKARTA, Indonesia, At least 17 people were killed and dozens more injured when a fire at a fuel storage depot in Indonesia’s capital spread to the surrounding neighborhood on Friday, prompting the mandatory evacuation of thousands of residents.
Pertamina, a government-owned oil and gas firm, maintains a fuel storage facility in the Tanah Merah neighborhood of North Jakarta, not far from a highly populated area. A quarter of Indonesia’s fuel comes from there.
Officials reported that despite the efforts of at least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines, the blaze in the nearby neighborhood was still growing out of control.
Television footage showed hundreds of residents fleeing the area in panic as firefighters battled the blaze, and thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames filled the sky.
According to Eko Kristiawan, the area manager for Pertamina, preliminary investigation results indicate that the fire began when a pipeline ruptured during heavy rain, possibly due to a lightning strike.
He assured the public that the fire would not affect the availability of fuel across the country.
Heru Budi Hartono, acting governor of Jakarta, has stated that 600 evacuees are housed in various government buildings and sports stadiums.
Jakarta’s fire and rescue chief Satriadi Gunawan said 50 people, including some with severe burns,
Jakarta’s fire and rescue chief Satriadi Gunawan said 50 people, including some with severe burns, were hospitalized after the blaze. He said 17 people were killed.
Gunawan said the fire caused multiple explosions, quickly spreading to homes.
Erick Thohir, Indonesia’s minister of state-owned enterprises, offered condolences to the victims and their families, and he directed Pertamina to conduct a thorough investigation of the fire and prioritize providing aid to the community as soon as possible.
There will need to be a future evaluation of how well operations are running. As he promised in his video statement, Thohir will monitor this situation.
Pertamina’s board of directors, saying they must be held accountable for the deadly oil fire.
The fuel depot in Plumpang experienced its second major fire in as many weeks on Friday. At least forty homes were destroyed in a fire in the area in 2014, but no injuries were reported.
Gajah Mada University energy analyst Fahmi Radhi demanded that the depot be relocated away from residential areas.
The company “Pertamina has been negligent by not using international standard security systems,” he told KOMPAS TV. According to him, efforts have yet to be made to implement such a system since the fire in 2014, and he recommended conducting regular inspections to prevent future fires.
Radhi has called for the immediate removal of Pertamina’s board of directors, saying they must be held accountable for the deadly oil fire.
In 2018, a fire started because of an oil spill, and five people died, and hundreds were injured in the port city of Balikpapan. According to the authorities, a pipe used by Pertamina to transport crude oil ruptured.
A fire at the Cilacap gasoline oil storage facility at the largest oil refinery on the main island of Java in March 2021 forced the evacuation of eighty nearby residents and injured at least 20. There are six refineries owned by Pertamina, with Cilacap being one of them. Eight months later, a fire broke out at the Pertamina Balongan Refinery in West Java province, forcing more than 900 people to be evacuated.
SOURCE – (AP)