Bareskrim Has Not Yet Been Able To Find Whether There Was Negligence Behind The Balongan Oil Refinery Fire

JAKARTA - The National Police's Criminal Investigation Unit has yet to find an element of intent behind the Pertamina refinery fire incident in Balongan, West Java. Although, previously had stated that there would be a suspect.

"So far, based on laboratory results, no intentional element has been found, it is more directed to natural factors," said the National Police's Criminal Investigation Officer, Komjen Agus Andrianto, when contacted, Thursday, September 16.

Moreover, the alleged cause of the fire was due to natural factors based on the results of the laboratory. Where, the inspection aims to find the first hotspot.

"We are based on the results of laboratory examinations to find out the cause of the fire or the starting point of the fire," said Agus.

On the other hand, Agus stated that in the near future the West Java Regional Police who handled the case would immediately conduct a case. The goal is to determine the next steps.

"We are waiting for the letter from the West Java Police," said Agus.

The head of the Public Information Bureau of the National Police Public Relations Division, Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono, previously said that in the case of the oil refinery fire, the police would immediately identify a suspect. This decision was also made after the case was held.

"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.

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

After receiving the report, the National Police investigators took steps to uncover the occurrence of the fire.

There were 52 witnesses who were clarified and asked for information related to the incident.

The evidence collected from the location of the fire has been examined in the forensic laboratory by the Indonesian National Police Laboratory.

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

This crime is as regulated in Article 188 of the Criminal Code which reads "Whoever by mistake (negligence) causes a fire, explosion or flood, is threatened with a maximum imprisonment of five years or a maximum imprisonment of one year or a maximum fine of four thousand five years. hundred rupiahs, if because of that act there is a general danger to goods, if because of that act there is a danger to the life of another person, or if because of that act results in the death of a person.

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

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

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