Two Employees Injured in Cilegon Chemical Plant Explosion: Timeline Details

Senior Commissioner Maruli Ahiles Hutapea, Head of Public Relations for Banten Police, explained that the explosion occurred on Monday, 25 May at approximately 16:00 WIB at PT MCCI’s PTA-1 facility. The factory reported a loud explosion in the production area.

‘Following the incident, the early warning system activated automatically, prompting the company to immediately order all employees to evacuate as a precautionary safety measure,’ said Senior Commissioner Maruli on Tuesday, 26 May 2026.

He revealed the preliminary suspicion is that the explosion was triggered by a pipe leak due to extremely high temperature and pressure.

‘The leak is suspected to have caused a pressure surge, resulting in a significant explosion and triggering the company’s early warning system. Subsequently, the company promptly initiated initial response measures, including halting operations in the affected area and conducting technical checks on the pipeline and reactor installations,’ he added.

He stated that two employees were injured and are currently receiving treatment at Krakatau Medika Hospital. Banten Police immediately secured the scene, processed the crime scene, and collected samples.

‘The Banten Police Brimob unit also conducted sterilisation to ensure no radioactive materials were released, while the Bareskrim Polri Forensic Lab team took samples at the site for further investigation,’ he explained.

He added that by 18:00 WIB, the smoke had dissipated, and police urged the public not to be swayed by unverified information and to remain vigilant.