In The Near Future There Will Be Suspects In The Balongan Refinery Fire Case

JAKARTA - The fire case at Pertamina's oil refinery in Balongan, West Java, is about to enter a new phase. Bareskrim Polri investigators will determine the suspect after this case goes up to investigation.

Head of the Public Information Bureau (Karopenmas) of the National Police's Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono, said that the determination of the suspect will be carried out after the case has been upgraded to investigative status.

"I think there will be suspects because the status of the case has gone up to investigators," said Rusdi at the Jakarta Police Headquarters, Tuesday, May 18.

Rusdi promised to update information to investigators from the National Police Criminal Investigation Unit regarding the handling of a fire case at the Pertamina Balongan oil refinery.

"But a few weeks ago there was an investigation process. We just can't update who is the suspect," said Rusdi.

Rusdi said, from the results of the case conducted by investigators, elements of neglect or negligence had resulted in the explosion and fire of the Balongan oil refinery.

"It was found yesterday that there were elements of neglect, negligence there, causing fires, explosions and all kinds of things, which became something criminal," he said.

Previously, investigators had received a police report after the fire incident at Pertamina's oil refinery on March 29, 2021 with number LP 147 / IV / 2021 / Jabar / Polres Indramayu.

After receiving the report, Police investigators took steps to reveal the fire.

There were 52 recorded witnesses who were clarified and questioned regarding the incident.

Evidence collected from the fire location has been examined in the forensic laboratory by the Indonesian Police Force Lab.

From these results, on April 16, 2021, a case was conducted against the fire incident, and investigators concluded that there was an alleged criminal act in the fire incident at the Balongan Oil Refinery.

The criminal offense as regulated in Article 188 of the Criminal Code which reads "Anyone who by mistake (negligence) causes a fire, explosion or flood, is punishable by a maximum imprisonment of five years or a maximum imprisonment of one year or a maximum fine of four thousand and five. hundred rupiahs, if due to said act a general danger arises to property, if due to said act danger arises to the life of another person, or if due to said act causes a person to die, ".

The PT Pertamina Balongan oil refinery, Indramayu Regency, West Java, caught fire in the early hours of Monday, March 29, 2021. As a result, a number of people suffered serious injuries as a result of the incident.

In addition, one patient who was burnt from the fire of four tanks at Pertamina Balongan Refinery with the initials IA (17) died after undergoing treatment in the hospital for 12 days.

The Pertamina Balongan refinery has a strategic role in maintaining the stability of the supply of fuel, especially Premium, Pertamax, and LPG which is distributed to DKI Jakarta, Banten, parts of West Java and its surroundings, which are the centers of business and government of Indonesia.