SANGATTA: The National Police confirmed on Wednesday that four people were killed when a barge exploded near a port belonging to coal mining firm PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) in Sangatta, East Kalimantan, on Monday, Jakarta Post reported.
National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto said that the Sahoya 3 barge exploded soon after 3,200 tons of fuel had been unloaded on Monday evening.
“The flames from the barge spread to a Arya Candara tug boat that was beside it. In seconds, the tug boat exploded,” he said.
The multiple explosions claimed the lives of four workers on the barge — Galih, Feri, Fauzi and Yuda — and injured five people on the tug boat.
“We are still searching for one tug boat passenger called Sutrisno,” Agus said.
East Kalimatan Police, Kutai Timur Police and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) joined forces to find Sutrisno.
Agus said that police were coordinating with PT KPC to determine the cause of the incident.