Islam Times - Massive Explosion Hits Balongan Oil Refinery in Indonesia

Islam Times - The residents living in the vicinity of the explosion scene were reportedly evacuated and housed at several government facilities. There was no immediate information on casualties.

A massive explosion at the Balongan oil refinery owned by the Pertamina company, an Indonesian state-owned oil and natural gas corporation, occurred in Indonesia's Indramayu area in West Java province on early Monday.

Four people, who were nearby when the blast occured, were injured in a fire that erupted after the explosion. They were hospitalized with burns, according to a statement issued by Pertamina.

Local media outlets, citing eyewitnesses, said the explosion was heard up to a radius of dozens of kilometers from the epicentre.

"Around 00.30 [local time] there was a very strong explosion. The residents' houses were shaking and some of them had broken glass", one witness told a local media outlet Teras Pendopo.

Residents in neighboring districts were evacuated. The cause behind the massive blast was not immediately clear, although some witnesses told a local media outlet Republica.co.id that the explosion occured after heavy rainfall, lightning and thunder.

Corporate Secretary of Subholding Refining & Petrochemical, PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional, Ifki Sukarya, said that the road leading to the area of explosion is being blocked. He also ensured "that the fuel supply to the public is not disrupted and is currently running normally."

A video that captured the moment of the explosion emerged on social media.

No further details were immediately available.