THOUSANDS EVACUATED AFTER FIRE AT INDONESIAN OIL DEPOT KILLS 17

Fri 03 March 2023:

At least 17 people were killed and dozens more were hurt when a large fire at a fuel storage depot in the capital of Indonesia on Friday forced the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents after spreading to their neighborhood, according to officials.

The fuel storage facility, run by the government-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, is located in North Jakarta’s Tanah Merah neighborhood close to a densely populated area. 25% of Indonesia’s fuel requirements are met by it.

Fire officials reported that 52 fire engines and at least 260 firefighters were battling to put out the blaze in the nearby neighborhood.

A preliminary investigation showed the fire broke out when a pipeline ruptured during heavy rain, possibly from a lightning strike, said Eko Kristiawan, Pertamina’s area manager.

Satriadi Gunawan, who heads Jakarta’s fire and rescue department, said people living in the residential area were still being evacuated and were being taken to a nearby village hall and a mosque.

“The fire caused several explosions and quickly spread to residential houses,” Gunawan said.

He said at least 17 people were dead, including two children, and 50 had been hospitalized, some with severe burns.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent