Blast at Chinese plant in Indonesia kills 13

Palu (Indonesia), December 24

A smelting furnace exploded on Sunday at a Chinese-owned nickel plant on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, killing at least 13 workers and injuring dozens of others, the police and a company official said.

It was the latest in a series of deadly incidents at nickel smelting plants in Indonesia that are part of China’s ambitious transnational development programme known as the Belt and Road Initiative. Nickel is a key component in global battery production for electric vehicles.

At least four Chinese and nine Indonesian workers died when the furnace exploded while they were repairing it, said Central Sulawesi police chief Agus Nugroho. The blast was so powerful it demolished the furnace and damaged parts of the side walls of the building, said Nugroho, adding that about 46 workers were injured, including 14 Chinese nationals, some in critical condition.

Authorities are working to determine whether negligence by the company led to deaths, Nugroho said. The accident occurred at PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Stee in Bahodopi neighbourhood. — AP