Residents near Pertamina refinery evacuated

People living near the fire at a refinery in Cilacap, Central Java, have been evacuated after firefighters failed to extinguish the blaze that started on Saturday, the police say.

Cilacap Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Rudi Darmoko said residents had been evacuated at the request of the refinery operator, state oil and gas company Pertamina.

“[Residents] are being brought to a safe place,” Rudi said on Tuesday.

Eight trucks from the police’s crowd control unit, the Mobile Brigade and the local administration brought evacuees to the PT Holcim complex, Cilacap Police headquarters and the Cilacap City Hall, tribunnews.com reported.

Earlier, firefighters were withdrawn from the refinery for unspecified reasons, leaving Pertamina employees to battle the blaze.

Meanwhile, a press conference with Pertamina president director Karen Agustiawan scheduled for Tuesday was canceled.