Steering Fire Fishing Excavator, Nur Efendi Becomes Suspect Of Exploding Oil Mine In Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra

Release of the case of the explosion of an oil refinery (Photo: ANTARA)

SUMSEL - Musi Banyuasin Resort Police, South Sumatra (South Sumatra) named a heavy equipment operator as a suspect in the explosion of an illegal oil mine in Hamlet V, Keban Village.

The suspect, named Nur Efendi (46), is a resident of Jalan Palembang-Betung Dusun II RT 005/003 Lubuk Karet Village, Banyuasin. Nur was arrested by Special Criminal Investigation personnel of the South Sumatra Police at his hiding place, Jalan Kebun Bunga Palembang, last Wednesday at around 10:00 WIB.

"Currently, the Muba Police Satreskrim Special Criminal Unit has detained it for investigation," said Police Chief Musi Banyuasin AKBP Alamsyah Pelupessy in his official statement, Antara, Friday, October 15.

Based on the results of the investigation, the fire at the illegal oil mine was allegedly triggered by the fire released from the exhaust of the excavator driven by the suspect.

At the time of the incident on Monday, October 11, the suspect was closing an oil well. Then the flames from the exhaust of the excavator grabbed the gas coming out of the well, causing a fire.

"Before the fire, the oil well was emitting gas and mud. It was because of sparks from the exhaust that the fire started," he said.

This allegation, he said, was also strengthened by the burning of the excavator used by the suspect. This heavy equipment was hit by a burst of fire and also caught fire. There were no casualties in this incident.

The police also confiscated an excavator, a suction machine, a burnt wood, burnt hose, and 5 liters of crude oil as evidence.

The suspect is subject to the article on exploitation without a business license and or intentionally or by negligence causing a fire as referred to in Article 52 of Law Number 22 of 2001 concerning Oil and Gas (Oil and Gas) as amended in Article 40 point 7 of Law Number 11 of 2001. 2020 concerning Job Creation in conjunction with Article 55 of the Criminal Code and or Article 188 of the Criminal Code.

"The arrest of this suspect becomes the capital to reveal the real mastermind, as the instructions from the Regional Police Chief will be revealed in the near future," he said.

Based on the information gathered, the oil well fire has been recorded twice. The first was on Thursday, September 9 last.

Local police officers have named a suspect named Rozali (52) who is none other than the owner of an illegal oil well land.

In this incident, a local resident with the initials SI was killed and four mining workers were injured, each with the initials JH (41), RO (48), SA (49), and S (34).

Meanwhile, the Acting (Pj.) Head of Keban 1 Village Muhammad Alen in Sanga Desa said that a total of nine oil wells in the village were burned. Six boreholes exploded on Thursday, October 9 last and three exploded on Monday, October 11 afternoon.

"Current conditions are starting to become conducive, only one well is still burning. However, it is under the supervision of joint TNI/Polri officers," he said.