Cilegon Chemical Plant Explodes, Thick Smoke Envelops Residential Areas

Thick white smoke enveloped roads and residential areas around PT Merak Chemical Indonesia (PT MCCI) in Cilegon, which exploded on Monday (25/5) afternoon. PT MCCI, formerly known as PT Mitsubishi Chemical Indonesia, is a chemical plant producing Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), a crucial raw material for the textile and polyester industries. The facility reportedly exploded at around 2:30 PM WIB. In addition to thick white smoke, a pungent chemical odour spread around the explosion site, prompting officers to approach the area with caution. Pulomerak Police Chief DP Ambarita wore a double-layer mask to minimise chemical exposure risks. ‘I didn’t dare get close due to the strong chemical smell, so I wore two masks at the scene,’ he said. Police attempted to evacuate residents and workers from the vicinity of the plant. They also instructed PT MCCI to distribute masks to residents and staff. ‘We advised the company to distribute masks as an initial measure and urged residents to stay away via their communication channels,’ he explained. Cilegon Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit deployed forensic officers to determine the cause of the incident. Police are currently conducting a series of investigations at the scene. Local resident Faturrohmi said the explosion occurred around 2:30 PM WIB, accompanied by sirens. White smoke filled the air around the plant. ‘All I felt was the explosion followed by sirens. From PT MCCI, the strong smell was like burning tyres around Gerem,’ Faturrohmi told reporters. Faturrohmi’s home is approximately three kilometres from the chemical plant. The explosion caused alarm among nearby residents. ‘It was loud—I was at home when it happened. The plant is about three kilometres away,’ he said. After hearing the explosion and seeing smoke, residents reported the incident to Cilegon’s Environment Agency. ‘I immediately contacted the Environment Agency head to take action per environmental procedures,’ he said. Evacuation efforts Cilegon Environment Agency Head Sabri stated that DLH teams were dispatched to investigate the explosion. He added that BPBD (Disaster Management Agency) teams were also on site to assist with evacuations. ‘The BPBD has instructed village heads to evacuate residents from the area,’ he said.