Indonesia oil depot fire kills 18, more missing

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Indonesian rescuers and firefighters on Saturday searched for possible victims under the rubble of charred houses and buildings after a large fire broke out at a fuel storage depot in the capital, killing at least 18 people and leaving 16 others missing.

The Plumpang fuel storage station, operated by state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, is near a densely populated area in the Tanah Merah neighbourhood in North Jakarta. It supplies 25 per cent of Indonesia’s fuel needs.

At least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines managed to extinguish the blaze just before midnight on Friday after a fire spread through the neighbourhood for more than two hours, fire officials said. They were working to secure the area on Saturday.

More details on Sunday’s Borneo Bulletin