Indonesian authorities say eight dead in cooking oil factory near Jakarta

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JAKARTA (Reuters) -Eight people died in a large fire at a cooking oil factory near the Indonesian capital Jakarta, local fire authorities said on Friday.

Around 20 firefighting trucks are at the site and have contained the blaze in most areas of the factory, authorities said.

Footage from Metro TV showed flames and billowing black smoke coming out of a building in the centre of an industrial complex in Bekasi, a city on Jakarta’s eastern edge. The report said roads had been closed around the factory.

All of the bodies had been evacuated from the site, Suhartono, head of Bekasi’s fire department told Reuters, adding that three other people were injured.

But the number of casualties could still rise, he said.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.

The factory is operated by PT Primus Sanus Cooking Oil Industrial (Priscolin), said Suhartono.

(Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and Tom Hogue)