(Jakarta) At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on Friday in a fire that broke out at a state-run fuel depot that firefighters managed to bring under control, according to firefighters.
An investigation is underway to determine the origin of this incident, which occurred after 8 p.m. local time (8 a.m. Eastern time) at the facilities of the national oil company Pertamina, the chief of staff told the press. Dudung Abdurachman Armed Forces.
There are at least 16 dead, including two children, and 50 injured, said the fire brigade in the north of the capital.
The fire, which was extinguished within hours, prompted the evacuation of densely populated neighborhoods near the depot, authorities said.
Footage shared on social media, which could not immediately be verified, showed people fleeing through narrow streets with huge flames rising skyward behind them.
Fire chief for the north of the capital, Satriadi Gunawan, told AFP he had received preliminary information that a pipe had burst in the depot.
PHOTO ACHMAD IBRAHIM, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A firefighter inspects the ruins of a house destroyed by fire.
He said his men, more than 250 in total, moved quickly to contain the fire and prevent it from reaching nearby housing areas.
The general manager of the national oil company Pertamina, Nicke Widyawati, has pledged to carry out “an in-depth internal study in order to prevent a similar accident from happening again”.
She said the country’s fuel supply had not been affected, with other terminals taking over.