Fire at Indonesia’s Pertamina’s fuel storage station kills 10, tally shows

AT least ten people were killed after a fire broke out on Friday (Mar 3) at a fuel storage station operated by Indonesia’s state energy company Pertamina in the capital Jakarta, a tally displayed at the scene by the city’s fire station showed.

The fire, which started after 8 pm local time (1300 GMT), sent nearby residents in the densely-populated areas into a panic, some of whom fled with their belongings, footage from broadcasters showed.

Explosions were heard, according to footage shared on social media, which Reuters could not immediately authenticate.

The call centre of Jakarta’s main fire station said it had dispatched 51 units to the Plumpang area in North Jakarta, adding that the fire was huge.

Satriadi Gunawan, an official at the North Jakarta fire station, told news channel Kompas TV that the fire had started to spread to surrounding houses.

A spokesperson for a local hospital near the station told Kompas TV that 10 people had been brought in, without giving details on their condition.

Pertamina said in a statement that the cause is still being investigated and evacuation is ongoing.

The fuel station has a capacity of over 300,000 kilo-litres, according to the country’s energy ministry. REUTERS