16 dead and dozens injured after fire at fuel depot in Indonesian capital

At least 260 firefighters and 52 fire engines were struggling to contain the blaze, officials said.

Firefighters inspect the ruins of houses destroyed by a fire in Jakarta (Achmad Ibrahim/AP)

A large fire has broken out at a fuel storage depot in Indonesia’s capital, killing at least 16 people, injuring dozens of others and forcing the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents.

The fuel storage station, operated by state-run oil and gas company Pertamina, is near a densely populated area in the Tanah Merah neighbourhood in north Jakarta. It supplies 25% of Indonesia’s fuel needs.