Blast occurred during furnace repair work at a Chinese-owned facility in Sulawesi.

A devastating explosion at a nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia has left at least 13 people dead and 46 others injured, according to a statement from the industrial park’s spokesperson. The explosion took place early on Sunday at the PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel plant, located in the Morowali Industrial Park in Central Sulawesi province.

The tragedy occurred at around 5:30 AM local time (21:30 GMT on Saturday) during repair work on a furnace. The explosion was triggered when a flammable liquid ignited, and the resulting blast caused nearby oxygen tanks to explode, further intensifying the fire. Emergency responders arrived quickly, and the fire was eventually extinguished by Sunday morning.

The death toll included nine Indonesian workers and four Chinese nationals, all of whom were employees of the plant. The injured workers were primarily affected by exposure to hot steam, and they received treatment for burns and other injuries.

The industrial park’s management expressed deep sorrow over the incident, particularly for the families of those affected. The bodies of several victims were promptly flown back to their home countries. Disturbing images of the aftermath were shared, showing burnt bodies and damaged equipment. According to a witness at the scene, the victims had severe burns, and their clothes were completely charred.

The Morowali Industrial Park, a key hub for nickel production, is known for its role in the global supply of nickel, a critical material used in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel. This incident is the latest in a series of accidents at nickel processing facilities in the region, including a riot-related death earlier this year and a fire in June that also resulted in fatalities.

The plant is operated by PT Gunbuster Nickel Industry (GNI), a subsidiary of China’s Jiangsu Delong Nickel Industry. Local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion.