Morowali, Central Sulawesi: Indonesian authorities have halted the operations of Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS), a Chinese-funded nickel and steel processing company, in the wake of a smelting furnace explosion that claimed the lives of 13 individuals early on Sunday.

The company is situated in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park within Morowali regency, Central Sulawesi province.

According to the police, the tragic incident resulted in the deaths of nine local workers and four Chinese workers, with approximately 40 workers sustaining injuries, many of them suffering severe burns.

The injured workers have been relocated from the medical center within the industrial park to the municipally-owned Morowali Hospital.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion occurred around 5:30 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (9:30 p.m. Saturday GMT) while workers were conducting repairs on a smelting furnace.

"In light of the ongoing investigation, the operations of ITSS have been suspended," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Insp. Gen. Agus Nugroho said during a news conference on Sunday evening. "We anticipate prompt findings from the investigation."

The majority of the victims were identified as mechanics engaged in repairing the furnace on the facility's second and third floors.

ITSS is a subsidiary of China-based Eternal Tsingshan Group.

The process of nickel smelting is recognized for its inherent hazards, requiring high smelting temperatures reaching up to 1,350 degrees Celsius to produce iron sulfide, commonly known as matte.

Local activist Arko Tarigan disclosed that between January and September, there have been 19 incidents associated with nickel smelters in Morowali, resulting in at least 16 fatalities.

Arko, a campaigner from the non-governmental group Trend Asia, also mentioned that from 2015 to 2022, over 50 workers lost their lives due to work-related accidents at Morowali plants.

Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park released a statement saying that the furnace explosion triggered subsequent explosions of many oxygen cylinders used for welding.

"The explosion took place during repair work. At that time, many oxygen cylinders were being utilized for welding and metal cutting related to the furnace," said Dedy Kurniawan, a spokesperson for the industrial park management.

According to data from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park owns a 10 percent stake in ITSS.

While the company commits to covering all medical expenses for the injured and providing financial compensation to the families of the deceased, specific details were not disclosed.

Central Sulawesi Governor Rusdy Mastura urged ITSS to fully cooperate with law enforcement authorities investigating the incident and to implement robust safety measures to prevent any recurrence of such tragedies.

"This incident must never recur, and I emphasize the need to address the rights of the affected workers and their families," said the governor.