english.jpnn.com, BALIKPAPAN - Residents of Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, were shocked by the burning of an oil refinery owned by Pertamina, Friday (4/3) afternoon.
The fire was quite large and could be seen from a distance. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
ALSO SEE: Pertamina Asked to Provide Explanations for Repeated Fires
Pertamina confirmed the incident, saying that the fire had been extinguished.
Balikpapan refinery area manager Ely Chandra said that the fire broke out at around 10.32 a.m. local time.
ALSO SEE: Pertamina Tries to Extinguish Fire in Cilacap Refinery
"[We] moved quickly to extinguish the fire and ensured that the Balikpapan refinery was in a safe condition and still operating," said Ely in a release received by JPNN.com.
Four fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the fire within half an hour.
ALSO SEE: Pertamina Oil Refinery in Cilacap Catches Fire
Pertamina urged the public not to panic because the incident was still within the refinery perimeter. (mcr14/mcr20/jpnn)
This news has been broadcast on JPNN.com with the title: Kilang Minyak Pertamina Balikpapan Terbakar, Begini Kondisi Terkini