Fire Contained at Major Oil Refinery in Indonesia

Authorities successfully managed a fire that erupted at the Kilang Pertamina Internasional refinery in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, according to officials.

A significant fire occurred at an oil refinery in the port city of Balikpapan, Indonesia, early Saturday morning. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, according to local news sources.

Firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control at the Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI) refinery in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, situated on the island of Borneo. This was reported by the Jakarta Globe, which cited statements from government representatives.

“Praise be to God, the firefighting team has managed to control the situation, and cooling efforts are currently underway,” said Bayu Arafat, the general manager of the KPI Unit in Balikpapan, in a statement issued in Jakarta.

At this time, there have been no reported casualties, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Residents first observed the flames around 4:38 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, with several videos of the fire quickly spreading on social media.

The official statement noted that firefighters are continuing their efforts to ensure that all potential heat sources in the area are fully extinguished.

Photo credit: AA