CCN, CILEGON — Cilegon Mayor Robinsar has confirmed that there were no pipe leaks or tank leaks at the PT Vopak Indonesia facility in Gerem Subdistrict, Grogol District, Cilegon City.
The confirmation was delivered after the Mayor, accompanied by Cilegon Police Chief AKBP Dr. Martua Raja Taripar Laut Silitonga and members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), conducted a direct site inspection on Saturday (31 January 2026). The visit followed residents’ complaints regarding a suspected chemical leak.
Robinsar stated that the sudden inspection was carried out as a swift response by the Cilegon City Government in coordination with relevant authorities to ensure public safety. During the inspection, the Mayor and the Police Chief directly examined the condition of the pipes and storage tanks within the company’s operational area.
“Together with the Police Chief and members of Forkopimda, we went directly to the site to assess the current conditions at PT Vopak. Based on our preliminary inspection, it is confirmed that there are no pipe leaks and no tank leaks,” Robinsar emphasized.
He added that, according to the latest information, the incident involving yellow-colored smoke, which had previously concerned residents, has no longer occurred. PT Vopak has reportedly taken mitigation measures to address the situation.
“Based on the latest information, the yellow smoke incident is no longer occurring. The PT Vopak team has implemented mitigation measures in response to the incident,” he said.
As a further preventive step, the Cilegon City Government has installed four air quality monitoring devices around the site. These instruments are used to ensure that ambient air quality remains safe for the surrounding community. Comprehensive results will be obtained after a 24-hour monitoring period.
Regarding residents’ conditions, a total of 56 people reportedly experienced shortness of breath and received medical treatment at local community health centers.
“Thank God, all residents who were taken to the health centers have now been allowed to return to their homes,” Robinsar said.
Meanwhile, Kaisar, a Robinsar volunteer group, expressed appreciation for the swift response of the Cilegon Mayor and Forkopimda in addressing public concerns. According to the group, the government’s direct presence at the site demonstrated that public safety remains a top priority.
“We appreciate the Mayor’s prompt and transparent response in immediately visiting the site. This is important to reassure the public and to prevent misinformation,” said Roni Denero, Chairman of Kaisar.
He also expressed hope that the results of further inspections conducted by the Cilegon Environmental Agency (DLH) would be conveyed transparently to the public to maintain public trust.
The Mayor further emphasized that PT Vopak should directly follow up on the health conditions of residents who had received medical treatment, as a form of responsibility and concern for affected communities.
Although no leaks were found, the Cilegon City Government will continue to carry out follow-up actions in accordance with established procedures. The Environmental Agency has been deployed to conduct further investigations, including tracing the chronology of the incident and performing additional air quality testing. (*)
