Initial Findings of Cilegon Chemical Plant Explosion: Reactor Pipe Rupture

Banten’s Environmental and Forestry Agency (DLHK) outlined the suspected cause of the explosion at PT Merak Chemicals Indonesia (PT MCCI) chemical plant in Cilegon, Banten, on Monday (25 May). Initial findings indicate the explosion was caused by a ruptured reactor outlet pipe at the MCCI plant.

“Based on field verification, a reactor outlet pipe ruptured during PT MCCI’s production process,” said Wawan Gunawan, Head of Banten’s DLHK, on Tuesday (26 May).

The ruptured pipe contained water mixed with chemicals, which is suspected to have caused the pungent odour around the plant and led to residents reporting breathing difficulties. The chemical is commonly used in the production of textiles and plastic bottles.

“It contains a mixture of water and terephthalic acid, the raw material for purified terephthalic acid (PTA), widely used as a base for textiles, plastic bottles, and their derivatives,” he explained.

Banten’s DLHK has deployed a team to monitor air and environmental quality around the PT MCCI chemical plant in Cilegon. They are working with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to ensure safety around the explosion site.

“Banten’s DLHK is also coordinating on-site for incident management and securing the affected area,” he added.

The explosion at PT MCCI occurred on Monday (26 May) at around 12:30 PM WIB, when some employees were on break. The blast produced a white smoke plume and pungent odour that was inhaled by nearby residents.

The chemical company, which produces purified terephthalic acid (PTA) as a raw material for the textile and polyester industries, has apologised to all affected residents. PT Merak Chemicals Indonesia (MCCI) Public Relations, Dimas Saputro, stated that management will take responsibility for all damages suffered by the community.

“We must take responsibility towards the community,” he said.