Jakarta, March 29 : Three people were reported missing and 19 others injured, while nearly 1,000 residents living nearby were evacuated following a massive blaze at an oil refinery in Indonesia’s West Java province on Monday, officials said.
Head of the Disaster Management Agency’s Emergency Unit in West Java province Hadi Rahmat said of the injured, five were in serious condition, reports Xinhua news agency.
“The five persons are being intensively treated at the Pertamina Hospital,” he told Xinhua.
Nearly 1,000 people have been evacuated to two sports centres and an Islamic centre, he said.
Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina said in a statement on Monday that the accident took place at 12.45 a.m. at its Balongan oil refinery located in Indramayu district.
The oil processing unit has been shut down to prevent any further leakage.
The cause of the fire is still unknown while during the accident heavy downpours with lightning occurred.
The refinery can process 125,000 barrels of oil per day.
The accident does not disturb oil supplies for the people, according to the company.(IANS)
