Indonesia: Fire at fuel storage station kills several

A massive fire at a fuel storage station on Friday in the Indonesian capital city Jakarta has killed at least 16 people and injured dozens of others, officials said.

The fire broke out at a facility located near a densely populated area in northern Jakarta, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes.

At least 42 people were injured in the fire, according to the Army Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman, though numbers in other outlets put the figure at a slightly higher figure of 50.

Jakarta's acting governor Heru Budi Hartono told reporters that most of the people injured were suffering from burns and that the government would pay for their treatment.

He said three children were among those injured and that they were in a serious condition.

The cause of the fire, which broke out at around 8 p.m. local time (1300 GMT/UTC), is yet to be determined.

The fuel storage facility is run by state energy company Pertamina, which issued a statement saying it was "focused on handling the fire and evacuating workers and residents nearby to a safer location." 

Fire extinguished after hours, residents being evacuated, officials say

The fire was finally brought under control and "extinguished" several hours after it first broke out, Dudung Abdurachman told reporters.

But officials said residents were still being evacuated to a nearby mosque and village.

At least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines battled the fire, Satriadi Gunawan, the head of Jakarta's fire and rescue department said.

"The fire caused several explosions and quickly spread to residential houses," he said.

Videos broadcast on television showed hundreds of people running in panic as thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames filled the sky.

rm/rc (Reuters, AP, AFP)