Hundreds evacuated amid fire at oil refinery

At least 500 people have been evacuated from a nearby village after a massive fire broke out at a refinery in Indonesia’s West Java province.

Residents of Balongan were moved to two evacuation centres following the fire at the Pertamina Balongan Refinery.

Authorities urged residents to stay calm and keep away from the fire.

Four residents injured while passing through the area suffered burns and were being treated in hospital.

Pertamina officials said the cause of the fire was not clear, but there was lightening and heavy rain at the time the massive blaze broke out.

Television reports showed explosions and thick plumes of black smoke and orange flames filling the sky.