12 killed, 39 injured in explosion at nickel-processing plant in Indonesia

At least 12 people were killed and 39 were injured on Sunday in an explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia, an industrial park official said.

According to a statement by Dedy Kurniawan, a spokesperson for the complex, the accident took place around 5:30am at a plant owned by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel in the Morowali Industrial Park located in Central Sulawesi province.

"The current number of victims is 51 people. 12 people died in the incident. There are 39 people with minor and serious injuries who are currently receiving medical treatment," he said.

The statement added that seven Indonesians and five foreign workers were killed. Later, Kurniawan told AFP all five foreign workers were Chinese nationals.

The official, citing an initial investigation, revealed that the explosion occurred during repair work on a furnace when a flammable liquid ignited and the subsequent blast caused nearby oxygen tanks to explode as well.

However, the fire was successfully extinguished on Sunday morning, according to the statement.

The firm that runs the industrial park said it was "deeply saddened" by the disaster and said the remains of several identified victims had been flown home, AFP reported.

The island is a hub for the mineral-rich country's production of nickel, which is a base metal used for electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel.

Additionally, Beijing's growing investment has stoked unrest over working conditions at its facilities.

Previously, in January, two workers including a Chinese national were killed at a nickel smelting plant in the same industrial park after a riot broke out during a protest over safety conditions and pay.