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Pertamina fuel depot fire death toll rises to 33
Top officials called for an audit of the country's energy facilities after the March 3 blaze ripped through a nearby residential area, gutting houses and burning cars next to the depot in North Jakarta.
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People look at burnt houses in a residential area in Plumpang, north Jakarta on March 4, 2023, after a fire at a nearby state-run fuel storage depot run by energy firm Pertamina.
(AFP/Aditya Aji)
T
he death toll from a fire at a fuel storage depot run by state energy firm Pertamina has risen to 33 with nearly a dozen more in critical condition, health authorities said Friday.
Top officials called for an audit of the country's energy facilities after the March 3 blaze ripped through a nearby residential area, gutting houses and burning cars next to the depot in North Jakarta.
"As of today, 33 people in total have died and 11 are still being treated. They are in the ICU and their condition is serious," Jakarta health agency spokesman Luigi said.
Authorities previously gave a death toll of 18 the day after the explosion.
Thousands of people were forced to evacuate when the fire broke out but the local disaster mitigation agency said all evacuees have since left shelters.
Witnesses likened the fire to a bomb blast after an initial explosion sent panicked locals screaming and fleeing through narrow roads with the fireball lighting up the Jakarta skyline behind them.
In response, Pertamina apologised and one of its directors was removed from his post.
