National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Susno Duaji said Wednesday the fire at a fuel storage tank at Pertamina's depot in Plumpang, North Jakarta, had been caused by human error.
Susno said friction between a fuel sampler and a measuring slot had ignited sparks.
"The sparks then set the fuel alight, then the fire took off," Susno told a media briefing at National Police headquarters, kompas.com reported.
The joint police-Pertamina investigation team, however, have yet to determine the origin of the tool found in tank 24 where the fire started, he added.
"The friction could have occurred during fuel sampling, but there could be other reasons. There are many possible causes of friction," Susno said.
He added the National Police were trying to find out why the fuel sampling tool was at the scene in the first place.
"We don't know whether the tool was absentmindedly left behind by an official or if it fell into the tank while being used," Susno.
Pertamina external relations manager Maruli Harahap said only certain officials have access to the sampling tool.
"Fuel samples are taken daily at 5 a.m. and undertaken by a designated official," he said, adding the person in charge would have been obliged to return the tool after sampling. (amr)
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