A deadly explosion on an oil tanker undergoing repairs at a shipyard on Indonesia’s Batam Island has killed at least 10 people and injured more than 20, local authorities said early Wednesday.

The tanker, MT Federal II, was docked at the Tanjunguncang seaport in the Riau Islands province when the fire erupted at around 4 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Tuesday).

The blaze, which began in the vessel’s gas tank while repair work was in progress, was quickly followed by a powerful explosion that forced workers to flee in panic.

Riau Islands Provincial Police Chief Asep Safrudin said that ten people had been killed and 21 others were being treated at nearby hospitals, four of them in critical condition. He added that the blast occurred while repair crews were still working on board the tanker.

Batam City Police Chief Zaenal Arifin confirmed that MT Federal II was docked for maintenance and was not carrying oil at the time of the incident.

Video Credits: warta banjar/YouTube

As of the afternoon of October 15, ten deaths had been recorded, while 18 others were receiving hospital care. All of the victims were reported to be shipyard workers involved in the repair operations, some of whom sustained severe burn injuries.

Authorities said investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire and explosion. Police are also examining whether the shipyard operator, PT ALS, may have been negligent in enforcing safety procedures.

This is the second fatal accident involving the same tanker. In June, a fire broke out on MT Federal II during repair work in Batam, killing four people and injuring nine others.

Investigations at the time found that sparks from welding had ignited the blaze, and most victims had died from smoke inhalation. Local police had identified two individuals suspected of breaching safety standards in that earlier case.

Police officials expressed concern over the recurrence of a deadly incident on the same vessel within a few months. Grieving relatives gathered at hospitals in Batam on Wednesday, awaiting updates on their loved ones as emergency teams continued their response and investigations proceeded.

Reference: Reuters