“This afternoon, I asked them to send a team to the site,” Lahadalia said in Jakarta.
He added that the government will review the findings before deciding on measures to prevent similar incidents.
“We will first review the results of the field reports,” the minister said.
Local police have also launched a crime scene investigation following the fire, which erupted Sunday morning (Oct. 12) at around 8:50 a.m. in a steam chimney containing a mixture of acid and nickel.
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Morowali Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Zulkarnain said officers immediately cordoned off the area, interviewed witnesses, and coordinated with IMIP’s management.
Preliminary findings suggest that the fire may have been caused by welding sparks that ignited a tarpaulin covering a fiberglass tank beneath the chimney.
“We will continue our investigation and report the results to management and the public,” Zulkarnain said.
He expressed hope the incident would serve as a reminder for workers to exercise greater caution during industrial operations.
One Indonesian and one foreign worker were injured in the fire. Both have received medical treatment and are reported to be in stable condition.
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Translator: Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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