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North Sumatra lighter factory fire kills 30, including children
Langkat Disaster Mitigation Agency head Irwan Sahri said three of the victims were children.
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Breaking News (TJP/File)
A
t least 30 people died in a fire at a lighter factory in Binjai district, Langkat regency in North Sumatra on Friday afternoon.
Langkat Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD Langkat) head Irwan Syahri said the bodies of the victims, which included five children, were severely burned.
"No survivors have been found so far," Irwan added.
The fire happened in Sambirejo village, which is an hour’s drive from Medan, the capital of North Sumatra.
A local resident named Budi Zulkifli told The Jakarta Post that he heard a blast coming from the factory when he was walking to a nearby mosque for Friday prayers.
The BPBD is focusing on removing the bodies. It will investigate the cause of fire and identify the owners of the factory. Two ambulances are on standby at the site. (gis)
Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect the latest death toll and to include a clarification on the number of underage deaths.
