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)