Fire at illegal oil well in Indonesia kills three

Firefighters in Indonesia are struggling to contain a fire at an illegal oil well that has been burning for three days, killing at least three people and injuring two others, a disaster relief official said on August 19.

The blaze erupted on August 17 in Central Java province’s Blora region, where the well was being operated without a permit by local residents, Caliber.Az reports via Reuters. 

“Some 750 people have been evacuated from the densely populated areas around the site,” said Agung Tri, a member of the provincial disaster mitigation agency’s rapid response team. He told Reuters that residents living nearby reported hearing an explosion before the fire broke out.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze. Four excavators have been deployed in an effort to smother the flames with soil, but crews continue to face difficulties accessing the site due to its hilly terrain.

“Firefighters were still battling massive flames on August 19 and facing difficulties moving equipment into the hilly terrain surrounding the site,” Agung said.

Evacuated residents have been relocated to temporary shelters and government buildings.

Across Indonesia, local communities often take over abandoned oil wells that companies have deemed uneconomical.

Many are run illegally with little regard for safety standards. In June, authorities introduced new regulations allowing small companies to partner with residents to legalise such operations, in an effort to boost oil production while improving safety and community welfare.

By Sabina Mammadli