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At least 10 killed, dozens injured in oil well fire in Aceh
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Police personnel clean Benua Patra Beach after a nearby oil spill in Balikpapan on April 2. (AFP/-)
T
he National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said on Wednesday that 10 people were killed and dozens injured after an oil well in Pasir Putih village, Ranto Peureulak subdistrict in East Aceh caught fire at 1:30 a.m.
BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said workers had been collecting crude oil from the well prior to the fire.
“We have reason to believe that the blaze had been triggered by sparks from a welding pipe,” Sutopo said, adding that the owner of the well had yet to be confirmed.
Two fire trucks were deployed to the scene at 2:30 a.m.
Sutopo said in a written statement that state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina and BNPB Aceh would apply special technology to put out the fire.
The fire occurred a month after an oil spill in East Kalimantan that was blamed on a broken pipe belonging to Pertamina. (dmr)
