(MENAFN) The death toll resulting from an explosion at a Chinese-owned nickel plant in Indonesia's Sulawesi island has increased to 18 as of Tuesday. In response, the police have mandated a temporary cessation of operations at the facility to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
The fire, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning at Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel, also left over 40 individuals injured. This incident adds to a string of fatal occurrences at nickel smelting plants in Central Sulawesi province, home to Indonesia's largest reserves of the metal.
Nickel holds significant importance as a crucial component in global battery production for electric vehicles. Indonesia is a major player in the nickel market, contributing approximately 21 million tons, which represents 22 percent of the world's reserves, as per the US Geological Survey.
“Up until today, we note that 18 victims died from the incident. This includes 10 Indonesian workers and eight Chinese workers,” Dedy Kurniawan, representative of the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park where ITSS is placed, stated in a declaration on Tuesday.
“The company entrusts to the authorities the process of investigating this work accident in ITSS and guarantees cooperation with all parties regarding recommendations to handle the impacts that may arise in accordance with the applicable legal system.”
A joint team comprising investigators from both regional and national police is currently examining the incident.
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