JAKARTA (Reuters): Indonesian state oil company Pertamina said on Monday (March 29) it was trying to control a massive fire at its Balongan oil refinery in West Java that injured five people and led to the evacuation of 950 nearby residents. Pertamina said in a statement the fire at the refinery, which can process 125,000 barrels per day, broke out during bad weather. "The cause of the fire is unknown, but during the incident there was heavy rain and lightning," Pertamina said. One nearby resident told Metro TV she was awoken by a pungent smell of oil fumes and saw lightning strikes in the sky. The state oil firm said it was shutting down the refinery and conducting "oil flow control" to prevent any further spread.

Source: The Star March 28, 2021 10:36 UTC