Death toll from Indonesian smelter fire rises to 18

Indonesia, the world's biggest nickel producer, has banned unprocessed nickel ore exports while promoting major investments in smelting and processing, but several fatal accidents have hit the sector in recent years.

President Joko Widodo, while identifying nickel processing as a priority for economic development, has called for improved safety and enhanced monitoring of environmental standards.

Central Sulawesi police spokesman Djoko Wienartono said on Tuesday the victims included eight foreign workers, and that police are still investigating the cause of the fire. China's foreign ministry said four Chinese were among the initial 13 confirmed dead.

A spokesman for the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park where the plant is located, Dedy Kurniawan, said on Tuesday that operations would remain suspended during the investigation.