Firefighters put out blaze at Indonesian state oil refinery
(Update 1: updates lede, headline)
Jakarta, Mar 29 (efe-epa).- Indonesian state oil company Pertamina said Monday it had extinguished a fire at its Balongan refinery in West Java.
The blaze left at least five injured, while some 950 residents were evacuated from the area.
“The fire has been localized. Therefore, it will not spread to the surrounding area,” Vice President of Corporate Communication & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Agus Suprijanto said in a statement.
The refinery, which can process 125,000 barrels per day, caught fire on Sunday night.
In a statement, the company said that the cause of the fire was not known but there was a storm with heavy rain and lightning at the time that it began.
Pertamina CEO Nicke Widyawati said five people were receiving medical treatment at a hospital while other victims with minor injuries have already returned home.
He said the fuel supply would not be affected due to the accident and urged people not to buy in panic for fear of shortages. EFE-EPA
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