Ministry of Industry Deploys Team Following Chemical Plant Explosion in Cilegon

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) has deployed a monitoring and control team to PT Merak Chemical Indonesia (PT MCCI) chemical plant in Cilegon, Banten, following a production facility explosion. ‘This incident serves as a crucial reminder for all industry players to continuously enhance operational discipline, implement occupational health and safety (K3), and conduct preventive maintenance on production facilities to minimise potential disruptions or industrial accidents,’ said Ministry of Industry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief in a written statement on Tuesday, 26 May 2026. Febri stated that the Minister of Industry has instructed the Directorate General of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Textile Industry and the Directorate General of Industry Resilience, Regionalisation, and International Industrial Access to deploy a monitoring and control team to the explosion site. The purpose is to ensure the post-incident handling proceeds swiftly, accurately, and in accordance with industrial safety procedures, in line with Minister of Industry Regulation No. 19 of 2019 and Regulation No. 25 of 2021. Febri added that the monitoring team is coordinating with company management, relevant authorities, and local government to conduct initial identification of the incident’s cause while ensuring mitigation measures comply with chemical industry safety and security standards. The explosion occurred at PT Merak Chemical Indonesia’s chemical plant on Monday afternoon, 25 May 2026. The incident produced thick white smoke and a pungent chemical odour detectable several kilometres from the site. The plant, previously known as PT Mitsubishi Chemical Indonesia, produces Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), a key raw material for the textile and polyester industries. It reportedly exploded at around 14:30 WIB. In addition to monitoring the incident response, the Ministry of Industry has requested the company conduct a thorough review of its production safety systems, industrial equipment suitability, and stricter adherence to safety and security standards. Febri said the ministry will continue to monitor the incident’s resolution until operational conditions are deemed safe and stable. He also stated that the ministry, alongside other agencies and law enforcement, is collaborating to support the investigation and phased restoration of industrial operations.