Samator Group's Response to Tanker Truck Explosion Incident in Balikpapan
An incident involving an explosion, suspected to originate from a tanker truck carrying liquid oxygen owned by Samator, took place at the HINO workshop on Jalan Soekarno Hatta, North Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Friday (3/4). According to Head of Corporate Communication and Government Relations at Samator Group, Ame Hutami, an investigation process has been conducted.
Ame confirmed that the incident resulted in damage to the tanker vehicle owned by Samator Gas Industri. “We confirm that an incident occurred at the HINO workshop on Jl. Soekarno Hatta, North Balikpapan, which resulted in damage to the LOX (liquid oxygen) tanker vehicle owned by Samator Gas Industri (SGI) Kutai on Friday, 3 April 2026,” she stated in a written release received by Media Indonesia on Monday (6/4).
Based on initial information, she added, the vehicle was a LOX tanker truck that had been undergoing repairs at the HINO workshop since 27 March 2026. “We are grateful that there were no casualties in this incident,” Ame said.
She stated that the top priority at present is to ensure the safety of all parties and to conduct intensive coordination with the authorities and workshop management for further handling. “The company is currently providing full support to the investigation process being carried out by the authorities. To date, the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation,” she added.
As reported, an explosion occurred involving a tanker truck carrying liquid oxygen. The truck, owned by industrial gas company Samator, was parked in the workshop area of Hino at Kilometre 24, Karang Joang Village, North Balikpapan, on Friday (3/4) around 06.34–06.35 WITA.
Eyewitness Rahmat Rizal, who is also a security officer at the workshop area, revealed that at the time of the incident, there was no worker activity because it coincided with a holiday.
Meanwhile, Balikpapan Police Chief Kombes Pol Jerrold HY Kumontoy, through North Balikpapan Police Sector Chief Kompol M. Rezsa, said they are still investigating the exact cause of the explosion. Several initial steps have been taken, including the First Action at the Crime Scene (TPTKP) and securing the location. “The Polresta Balikpapan Inafis team has also been deployed to the location to process the crime scene and collect evidence in accordance with standard operating procedures (SOP),” he emphasised.
Residents of Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan, were startled by the sound of a blast from the explosion of a tanker truck carrying liquid oxygen owned by industrial gas company Samator.