Police inspect Cilegon chemical plant explosion site

An explosion occurred at PT MCCI chemical plant in Cilegon, Banten, with police deployed to the scene. ‘Upon arriving at the crime scene, we’re conducting checks first,’ said Cilegon Police Residency’s Criminal Investigation Unit Chief, AKP Yoga Tama, on Monday, 25 May 2026. The Criminal Investigation Unit has deployed forensic officers to determine the cause, with police continuing examinations at the site. The blast, which happened around 14:30 WIB, was accompanied by siren sounds and white smoke visible to nearby residents. ‘I felt an explosion followed by a siren. It was from PT MCCI, and the strong smell was like burning rubber around Gerem,’ said local resident Faturrohmi. His home is approximately three kilometres from the plant, where residents were alarmed by the loud explosion. ‘It was very loud. I was at home, and the sound was intense. The plant is about three kilometres away,’ he added. Residents reported the incident to Cilegon City Environment Agency, with Faturrohmi stating, ‘I immediately contacted the Head of the Environment Agency to take action according to environmental procedures.’ DLH Chief Sabri confirmed the incident, noting that DLH teams had been dispatched. ‘Teams have just arrived, no updates yet. Based on the report of an explosion, we’re still gathering initial information,’ he said. Sabri added that Cilegon Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) teams were also deployed for evacuation. ‘The BPBD has instructed the village head to evacuate residents from the area,’ he said.