Thirteen workers tragically lost their lives in a devastating blast at a Sulawesi island nickel smelter owned by Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) on Sunday. This information was confirmed by the industrial park’s owner, who also noted that an additional 38 individuals were injured.
The incident occurred during furnace repairs at 5:30 a.m., resulting in the fatalities of eight Indonesian and five Chinese workers. Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) reported that the fire was successfully extinguished at 09:10 a.m. local time.
An IMIP spokesperson revealed that initial investigations pointed towards a possible explosion due to residual explosion-inducing liquid at the furnace’s bottom during the repair process, triggering subsequent explosions. The presence of numerous oxygen cylinders for welding and cutting further intensified the impact.
IMIP, a nickel-focused industrial park owned by China’s Tsingshan and local partner Bintang Delapan Group, expressed its commitment to collaborating with relevant entities for a thorough investigation. The company pledged to cover all treatment costs for the victims.
Nickel holds increasing significance for Indonesia, the world’s leading nickel producer, attracting substantial global investment following the 2020 ban on unprocessed ore exports by the government. Despite efforts to develop downstream nickel industries and attract investment from electric vehicle and battery manufacturers, the nation has witnessed several fatal accidents in its nickel processing industry.
President Joko Widodo, while emphasizing the sector’s development, has also called for enhanced safety measures and stricter environmental standards monitoring.
