Indonesia Pertamina: depot fire won't hit supplies
18 Jan 2009 17:05:12 GMT Source: Reuters
(Adds Pertamina closes depot) By Muklis Ali and Telly Nathalia JAKARTA, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Indonesia's state oil and gas company, PT Pertamina, said fire broke out at a key oil storage depot in North Jakarta on Sunday evening, shutting down the site, though supplies should not be disrupted. The Plumpang oil depot supplies diesel and gasoline to Jakarta and to West Java. Anang Noor, a Pertamina spokesman, said the company is still in the process of extinguishing the fire at a gasoline tank containing 5,000 kilolitres (31,000 barrels). "Pertamina has enough gasoline stock. We hope this fire will not disturb supplies," Noor said. The state energy group has shut down the depot, but will be able to meet supply requirements for Jakarta and West Java from another depot, said Toharso, Pertamina's corporate secretary. A Reuters witness close to the scene late on Sunday night said that three or four storage tanks appeared to be on fire, with flames leaping several metres high. "The fire has been localised so far at Plumpang depot number 24, which is estimated to have about 2 million litres," said Rico Amilza, North Jakarta Police Chief. He said 47 fire brigades were trying to put out the fire, which was more than 30 metres high. "There are no victims. The cause is still under investigation. It started at 21.15 (1415 GMT) when (the tank) was being refueled, according to two witnesses," he added. A local resident called Paulus told Indonesia's Metro TV that he had heard at least two blasts at the depot. According to Pertamina's web-site, the Plumpang depot's capacity is 30,000 kilolitres of gasoline, 15,000 KL of kerosene, and 34,500 KL of diesel. Police last year uncovered a plot to blow up the Plumpang oil depot, and detained five men who they said were members of the regional militant group, Jemaah Islamiah. Pertamina was publicly reprimanded by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier this month following widespread complaints about fuel shortages in the capital. (Additional reporting by Karima Anjani; writing by Sara Webb; editing by John Stonestreet)
A worker unloads sharks from wooden boats in a fish port in Banyuwangi in Indonesia's East Java province in this June 27, 2008 file photo. Three shark attacks in Australia in ...
