Medan. A major fire tore through a palm oil processing plant owned by Agro Jaya Perdana in Medan on Saturday night, destroying the facility after witnesses reported hearing loud explosions.

The factory is located on Jalan Yos Sudarso in Martubung subdistrict, Medan Labuhan district.

“The fire broke out at 7:50 p.m. at Agro Jaya Perdana’s palm oil processing plant,” Martubung village head Rusdianto said.

Witnesses said several explosions were heard as large flames engulfed the factory area, triggering panic among nearby residents.

Firefighters arrived at the scene with eight fire engines and immediately worked with plant employees to bring the blaze under control.

However, combustible palm oil materials inside the facility made firefighting efforts difficult, allowing the flames to spread further and prolonging containment efforts.

Authorities said the fire was extinguished after about three hours.

Police secured the area and barred residents from approaching the site for safety reasons. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

No fatalities were reported.