Indonesia: A massive fire broke out at a fuel storage depot in the Indonesian capital on Friday. According to reports, 14 people died, dozens were injured and thousands of nearby residents were evacuated. The fuel storage depot is near a densely populated area in the Tanah Meh neighborhood in North Jakarta.
Fuel storage station supplies 25 percent of Indonesia’s fuel needs
According to reports, the fuel storage station supplies 25 percent of Indonesia’s fuel needs and is operated by the state-run Oil and Gas Company. Fire officials said at least 180 firefighters and 37 fire engines were battling to bring the blaze under control in the nearby area.
Fire broke out due to bursting of pipeline during heavy rains
Video of the fire broadcast on television showed hundreds of people in the community running in panic, while a thick plume of black smoke and orange flames filled the sky as firefighters battled the blaze. Pertamina area manager Eko Kristiawan said a preliminary investigation showed a pipeline burst during heavy rains, possibly caused by lightning. He said the fire would not disrupt the country’s fuel supply.
People living in residential areas are still being evacuated
Satriyadi Gunwan, head of Jakarta’s fire and rescue department, said people living in the residential area were still being evacuated and taken to a nearby village hall and a mosque. “There were several explosions in the fire and it quickly spread to residential houses,” Gunawan said.
Army chief General Dudung Abdurchaman, who visited the scene, said at least 14 people had been killed and 42 had been hospitalised, some with severe burns.
(with inputs from agencies)