There Will Be Suspects Behind The Balongan Oil Refinery Fire

Pertamina HSSE & Fire Fighter team tried to put out the fire at Balongan RU VI Factory, Indramayu, West Java (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The National Police has conducted a series of investigations to thoroughly investigate the fire at Pertamina Balongan Refinery, Indramayu Regency, West Java.

Karo Penmas, Public Relations Division of the National Police, Brigadier General Rusdi Hartono, said that from the instructions and evidence collected during the investigation process by the Puslabfor Police Headquarters, it was decided that the status of the case would be upgraded to investigation.

"The conclusion of the case title is that there has been a criminal offense at the incident so that the case is raised at the investigation stage," Rusdi told reporters, Thursday, April 22.

The discovery of a criminal element in this case means that a person or party will be named a suspect.

It is strongly suspected that the figure who will be made a suspect made carelessness until a fire broke out.

This conjecture points to developments during the investigation. So, later the suspect in this case will be suspected of Article 188 of the Criminal Code.

"Investigators are currently working. Of course later developments on the results of the investigation will be conveyed to the public," said Rusdi.

If it is far back, the increase of this case to investigation will take a long time. To decide whether or not there is a criminal offense, dozens of witnesses must be examined.

Kabareskrim Polri Headquarters, Komjen Agus Andrianto, said that his party had investigated 52 people related to the fire at Pertamina Balongan Refinery.

"There have been 52 people who have been clarified as well as investigations," said Komjen Agus.

On the other hand, said Agus, Pertamina had yet to make a report regarding the four tank fires. Thus, it was decided to make a model A police report or case finding.

The goal is that an investigation into the fire case can be carried out immediately. This is because the work pattern of the National Police must refer to the existence of a police report (LP).

"We made a police report model A because until now Pertamina has not made a report," he said.

When there is no report, his party cannot inspect and process the scene of the fire in the four tanks.

"For this reason, we have made a report on the findings with the allegations that so far it is due to negligence that resulted in a fire incident," he said.

The fire of four tanks at Pertamina Balongan Refinery, Indramayu Regency, West Java, occurred on Monday, March 29 in the morning.

From the incident, six people were seriously injured and hundreds of residents were forced to flee.