Hearth at Indonesian oil depot kills 17; hundreds evacuated

A big fireplace has damaged out at a gas storage depot in Indonesia’s capital, killing at the very least 17 individuals, injuring dozens of others and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of close by residents after spreading to their neighborhood

ByACHMAD IBRAHIM Related Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A big fireplace broke out at a gas storage depot in Indonesia’s capital on Friday, killing at the very least 17 individuals, injuring dozens of others and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of close by residents after spreading to their neighborhood, officers mentioned.

The gas storage station, operated by state-run oil and gasoline firm Pertamina, is close to a densely populated space within the 0Tanah Merah neighborhood in North Jakarta. It provides 25% of Indonesia’s gas wants.

No less than 260 firefighters and 52 fireplace engines had been struggling to comprise the blaze within the close by neighborhood, fireplace officers mentioned.

Video of the fireplace broadcast on tv confirmed a whole lot of individuals locally operating in panic whereas thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames crammed the sky and firefighters battled the blaze.

A preliminary investigation confirmed the fireplace broke out when a pipeline ruptured throughout heavy rain, probably from a lightning strike, mentioned Eko Kristiawan, Pertamina’s space supervisor.

He mentioned the fireplace wouldn’t disrupt the nation’s gas provide.

Satriadi Gunawan, who heads Jakarta’s fireplace and rescue division, mentioned individuals residing within the residential space had been nonetheless being evacuated and had been being taken to a close-by village corridor and a mosque.

“The fireplace prompted a number of explosions and rapidly unfold to residential homes,” Gunawan mentioned.

He mentioned at the very least 17 individuals had been lifeless, together with two youngsters, and 50 had been hospitalized, some with extreme burns.

Indonesia’s minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir, expressed his condolences to the victims and their households and ordered Pertamina to completely examine the fireplace and give attention to rapidly aiding the group.

“There have to be an operational analysis sooner or later. I’ll proceed to observe this case,” Thohir mentioned in a video assertion.