TKP Examination Results, Police Call The MT Kristin Fire Not Up To The Fuel Shelter Tank

Joint personnel from the Ditpolairud Polda NTB, Labfor Polda Bali, and the Pertamina Task Force conducted a fire crime scene of MT Kristin Surabaya at Gili Mas Pier, Lembar Harbor, West Lombok, NTB, Tuesday (28/3/2023). (ANTARA)

Director of the Water and Air Police (Dirpolairud) of the West Nusa Tenggara Police Commissioner Kobul Syahrin Ritonga said based on the results of the crime scene (TKP) the impact of the fire on the front deck of the MT tanker Kristin Surabaya did not reach the fuel shelter tank.

"The impact of the fire did not reach the shelter tank. God willing (BBM) is safe," Kobul said at a press conference handling the fire incident of MT Kristin Surabaya, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, March 28.

Kobul conveyed this after processing the crime scene (TKP) of the tanker MT Kristin Surabaya with the Bali Police Forensic Laboratory Team (Labfor) on Tuesday morning.

The crime scene was also carried out after cooling the remaining tanker fire that had been secured since Monday at Gili Mas Pier, Lembar Harbor, West Lombok Regency.

He also said that MT Kristin Surabaya had 10 fuel reservoir tanks with 5 tanks each on the right and left sides of the hull.

"There are 10. There are 10 MT Kristin shelters on the left and five on the right," he said.

Furthermore, Kobul assured that his party is still focusing on the search and rescue efforts for the two crew members who were victims of the MT Kristin Surabaya fire who have not yet been found.

In addition, the focus of handling leads to an investigation into the cause of the fire under the control of the Bali Police Forensic Laboratory Team (Labfor).

The results of the crime scene which lasted for 2 hours, he said, the Bali Police Labfor Team had brought several former fire ornaments and CCTV cameras on the tanker MT Kristin Surabaya.

"The laboratory team has told us that it will take them one week to do the test. So, we'll wait for the results next week," he said.

The tanker fire incident belonging to the PT Hanlyn Jaya Mandiri transport service company occurred on Sunday (26/3) at around 14:45 WITA, while waiting for distribution queues in the West Waters of Lombok Island.

It is planned that the ship carrying 5,900 kilo liters of Pertalite owned by Pertamina will charge at the Pertamina Ampenan Depot, Mataram City.

Before the flames and puffs of smoke were seen circling the tanker, residents of the coast had heard the sound of an explosion.

Reportedly, before the explosion, there were as many as three crew members in charge of lowering their anchors from the position of the ship's front deck.

The tanker MT Kristin Surabaya is also known to have transported 17 crew members and the captain of the ship with 14 of them safe. Meanwhile, three people from the crew are suspected of being victims. One of the victims has been identified dead named Sukirman.