"The fire gutted the oil well at around 8:30 p.m. local time," Aceh Oil and Gas Managing Agency (BPMA) spokesman Akhyar Rasyidi stated here on Saturday.
The BPMA will coordinate with the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force's (SKK Migas') working unit for Northern Sumatra's areas to investigate the incident, he emphasized.
The fire that had gutted the oil well could be extinguished, and the wounded villagers were sent to local hospitals for medical treatment.
According to local news reports, the victims are the Seuleumak Muda Village's residents, who worked at the oil well site.
In April 2018, a deadly fire had also engulfed a traditional oil well in Ranto Panjang Peureulak of East Aceh District, Aceh Province. The fire reportedly killed at least 18 people and injured about 40 others.
The traditional oil well sites are not merely found in East Aceh District but also in several other areas in Indonesia.
For instance, an old oil well site exists in Wonorejo Village, Kedewan Sub-district, Bojonegoro District, East Java. Known as the Wonocolo oil well site, local villagers make a living from the oil wells that had been exploited during the Dutch colonial era. Related news: Death toll of explosion of Aceh oil well up to 22
Related news: Police, Pertamina shut down 25 illegal oil wells in Jambi
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Translator: Irman Yusuf, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
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