Fire at Indonesian oil depot kills 17; thousands evacuated

By ACHMAD IBRAHIM
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A large fire has broken out at a fuel storage depot in Indonesia’s capital, killing at least 17 people, injuring dozens of others and forcing the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents after spreading to their neighborhood. The fuel storage depot, operated by state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, is close to a densely populated area in the Tanah Merah neighborhood in North Jakarta. It supplies 25% of Indonesia’s fuel needs. Fire officials say at least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines are struggling to contain the blaze in the nearby neighborhood. Video of the fire broadcast on television showed hundreds of residents running in panic while thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames filled the sky and firefighters battled the blaze.