Posted on 03/04/2023 6:07:12 PM PST by BenLurkin
Indonesian rescuers and firefighters on Saturday searched for more than a dozen people missing under the rubble of charred houses and buildings, after a large fire spread from a fuel storage depot in the capital and killed at least 18 people.
The Plumpang fuel storage station, operated by state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, is near a densely populated area in the Tanah Merah neighborhood in North Jakarta. It supplies 25% of Indonesia’s fuel needs.
A preliminary investigation showed the fire broke out when a pipeline ruptured during heavy rain, possibly triggered by a lightning strike, said Eko Kristiawan, Pertamina’s area manager for the western part of Java.
Residents living near the depot said they smelled a strong odor of gasoline, causing some people to vomit, after which thunder rumbled twice, followed by a huge explosion about 8 p.m.
Rescuers were searching for 16 people who were reported missing or separated from their families amid the chaos. About 42 people were receiving treatment in five hospitals, some of them in critical condition.
(Excerpt) Read more at voanews.com ...
Anybody got a light?
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