Chemical container blast, driver killed

Chemical container blast, driver killed

JAKARTA (JP): The driver of a truck died early Thursday
morning when the container load of polystyrene styropor
petrochemical mounted on his truck exploded in the Tangung Priok
cargo terminal.

Antara reported yesterday that the 20-foot container had just
been unloaded from a vessel arriving from Pusan in South Korea
and was put in the holding area of the port at Block X/4 Slot
No.16.

At 2 a.m. the container, registration number HALU 2933407, was
loaded onto the truck. The driver then parked his vehicle away
from the holding area while waiting for the paperwork allowing
him to convey the container out of the complex.

Sources at the Tanjung Priok Police Port were quoted as saying
that the suspected cause of the blast was a match struck by the
driver, by which he intended to inspect the container seal as the
area was poorly lit.

The match flame is believed to have come into contact with the
petrochemical and caused it to explode.

The case is still being investigated, with four witnesses
being questioned by the police.

Based on international standards, the substance inside the
container should have been put in a special warehouse. (bsr)