INDONESIA – Fire at IMIP Industrial Zone Leaves Three Injured in Morowali

October 16, 2025

Unions urge production pause and safety audit after acid plant blaze

Sunday morning, October 12, 2025, a fire erupted at the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, affecting facilities operated by PT Huayou Nickel Cobalt (HYNC) Phase II and PT Sulawesi Nickel Cobalt (SLNC), located close to PT Dexin Steel Indonesia (DSI). The fire, reportedly triggered by welding activity, injured three employees—an Indonesian worker and two Chinese nationals—reviving long-standing concerns over industrial safety at the complex.

The flames were first spotted at 08:53 a.m. on the exhaust gas scrubber of HYNC’s new acid production unit, which is said to incorporate fiberglass components. Firefighters managed to contain the incident by 09:27 a.m.

Labor groups argued that the blaze highlights recurring safety failings among companies operating in IMIP. Tesar Anggrian, head of the PT HYNC workers’ union, said a basic protection measure was neglected. “There was no use of a fire blanket during the welding process,” he noted.

The Federation of Independent Industrial Workers Unions (FSPIM) has demanded a temporary suspension of operations and full wages for employees affected by the disruption. The Tanah Merdeka Foundation also condemned industrial operators at IMIP for continuing production in the wake of previous deadly accidents, such as a March embankment failure that claimed three lives.

PT HYNC is a joint enterprise between Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co., Ltd., China Molybdenum Co., Ltd., and Tsingshan Holding Group. The company produces roughly 70,000 tons of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) annually for use in electric vehicle battery manufacturing.

PT SLNC is a collaboration between PT Merdeka Battery Materials (MBMA) and Huayou Cobalt. It is scheduled to begin operations in 2026, with plans to reach an annual output of 90,000 tons of MHP.

Indonesia