Oil Refinery Fire in Indonesia Contained, Evacuated Locals Return Home - Reports

BANGKOK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2021) A fire at an oil refinery belonging to Indonesian state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina in the West Java Province has been successfully localized, and over 700 residents evacuated from nearby villages have started to return to their homes, local media reported on Monday, citing the plant's administration.

The blaze reportedly started at one of Pertamina's oil refineries after a loud explosion was heard at around 00:45 local time on Monday (17:45 GMT on Sunday). Local media reported 28 people injured, five hospitalized with severe burns, and more than 700 residents of nearby villages evacuated.

According to the Antara news agency, Pertamina was able to contain the fire using firefighting foam. Currently ten firefighting crews � belonging to both the local authorities and the company � are at the scene suppressing the blaze, the outlet said.

Local residents reportedly began to return to their homes.

The media speculated that the blast could have been caused by a lightning strike. The company, on the other hand, said that the causes were still being investigated but confirmed that there was rain and lighting at the time of the incident.

Pertamina has estimated its losses from the fire at about 400 thousand barrels of oil products, which it plans to compensate for by intensifying work of other oil refineries owned by the holding in the next few days, as cited in the report.

The plant will be able to resume normal operation within five days after the fire is fully extinguished, the company was cited as saying.