Indonesia, a Southeast Asian country with a population of 270 million, is an important partner of China in the Belt and Road Initiative. However, just before Christmas, a sudden explosion shattered the peace of the country. A serious accident at a Chinese-owned factory killed 13 people, including four Chinese employees, and injured many others. What kind of tragedy is this, and what kind of truth is hidden behind the accident?
The scene of the explosion
According to Indonesian media reports, an explosion occurred at a Chinese-owned factory in Sukabumi Province, West Java Province, Indonesia, at around 4 p.m. on December 24. The factory is called PT Panca Buana Cahaya Sukses and mainly produces fireworks and firecrackers. At the time of the explosion, about 100 employees were working at the plant.
The explosion sparked a fire, which was filled with smoke and smoke, and a strong tremor was felt by nearby residents and businesses. Some witnesses said the explosion was so loud that it sounded like an earthquake and scared them out of the house. The explosion also caused damage to a number of houses and vehicles around the plant, and even some debris flew several kilometers away.
Make every effort to treat the injured and find out the cause of the accident
After the explosion, the local government and fire department in Indonesia quickly launched a rescue operation, sending dozens of ambulances and fire trucks to the scene. Due to the size of the fire, it took nearly two hours for rescuers to bring the fire under control.
Rescuers found 13 bodies at the scene, including four Chinese employees, and many others, some of them seriously, who were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. It is reported that Indonesian President Joko Widodo also expressed concern about the accident and ordered a thorough investigation of the cause of the accident, investigation of responsibility, and condolences to the families of the victims.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference on December 25 that China is saddened by the casualties caused by the accident and expresses condolences to the deceased. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in conjunction with the competent departments and local people's governments, has instructed the embassy in Indonesia to immediately verify the situation and deal with it.
The embassy has immediately activated the emergency response mechanism, coordinated with relevant departments to make all-out efforts to treat the injured, and ascertained the cause of the accident as soon as possible. The embassy also simultaneously instructed the enterprises involved to do a good job of follow-up disposal. China will continue to maintain close communication with the Indonesian side and do a good job in dealing with the aftermath.
Safety hazards, lack of supervision
It is understood that this Chinese-funded factory is one of the largest fireworks and firecrackers manufacturers in Indonesia, founded in 2002, with nearly 1,000 employees, mainly exported to Europe and the United States and other countries. The owner of the factory is a Chinese ethnic Chinese who owns several factories in Indonesia and is involved in a variety of industries. However, the safety situation at the plant is far from encouraging.
According to some employees, the production environment of the factory is poor, the equipment is outdated, the materials are stacked in a mess, there are no effective fire prevention measures, and there are no regular safety inspections. The factory also has long working hours, working 12 hours a day with no breaks, and the pay is low, only about $200 per month. In addition, there was a lack of safety training at the factory, and many employees did not know how to respond to emergencies and did not wear the appropriate protective gear.
After the accident, some local media and people in Indonesia also questioned the safety management of the factory, believing that the factory had serious safety hazards and the regulator did not fulfill its responsibilities, which led to the tragedy. Some media outlets have also exposed the factory's boss for alleged corruption, tax evasion, cutting corners and other illegal acts, and demanded that the Indonesian government thoroughly investigate and punish him.
At the same time, some people have also expressed dissatisfaction with the business activities of Chinese companies in Indonesia, believing that Chinese companies only care about profits, not about the rights and interests of employees and the protection of the environment, and some have even launched protests and boycotts.
epilogue
The explosion of a Chinese-funded factory in Indonesia is a human tragedy and a safety wake-up call. The accident not only caused the loss of innocent lives, but also had an impact on the economic and trade cooperation between China and India. We hope that the Indonesian government will find out the cause of the accident as soon as possible, give a fair explanation to the victims and injured, and strengthen the safety supervision of the factory to prevent similar accidents from happening again.