At Least 18 Dead, 1,300 Homeless In Indonesia’s Storage Depot Fire
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Loading... - Kadiri Nelson
- 06 Mar 2023
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Top officials have called for a probe into the fire's cause and an audit of Indonesia's energy facilities after several recent blazes.
Residents searched through the remains of their charred homes Saturday as Indonesian state energy firm Pertamina apologised for a fire at a Jakarta fuel storage depot it said killed at least 18 people, including two children.
Dozens were also injured and police said three people were still missing after Friday night’s blaze at Pertamina’s Plumpang depot in north Jakarta. Officials called on Saturday for an audit of “all fuel facilities and infrastructures” in Indonesia.
Pertamina, which controls the majority of Indonesia’s fuel and energy distribution, publicly apologised for the fire.
“The management and I would like to convey our deepest apology for this incident. None of us expected this incident to happen,” Nicke Widyawati, Pertamina’s director, told a televised news conference.
Thirty-five people were still being treated, with many suffering severe burns, while more than 1,300 people living in residential areas near the depot had to be evacuated. The death toll had risen by one during the day.
“What I saw was smoke travelling from the left to the right, about 10 minutes later there was an explosion and the fire spread catching the houses,” witness Selamet, who like many Indonesians only has one name, told AFP. Read More…
