At least 19 people, including two children, have died and more than 60 injured after a fire broke out on Friday evening at one of national oil company Pertamina’s fuel storage depots on Indonesia’s most populous island of Java, Upstream reported.
Investigations are under way after the fatal blaze, which has also displaced some 650 nearby residents. The Plumpang fuel storage station, operated by Pertamina, is located near a densely populated neighbourhood in the north of the capital city Jakarta. It reportedly supplies 25% of Indonesia’s fuel needs.
“It was like a bomb, like a mini apocalypse. It was unimaginable,” witness Jamilul Asror, 45, told AFP, calling on authorities to relocate residents further away from the facility.
A preliminary investigation showed the fire broke after a fuel pipeline was damaged during heavy rain, Eko Kristiawan, Pertamina’s area manager for the western part of Java, was quoted by The Hindu.
Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati formally apologised for the company’s latest fatal incident and said the company would provide help to the community and cooperate with the investigation being performed by law enforcement agencies.
“We will carry out a thorough evaluation and reflection internally to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” she said in a statement, adding that the company would ensure the safe supply of fuel oil. Distribution of fuel oil from the Plumpang had restarted early on Saturday morning local time and volumes were also being supplied from other facilities on Java.
