New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS): At least 12 people were killed while 39 other suffered injuries on Sunday in Indonesia after an explosion at a nickel-processing plant, media reports said.

Reports said that the island of Sulawesi is a hub for the mineral-rich country's production of nickel, a base metal used for electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel.

They said that the accident occurred at around 5:30 am (2130 GMT Saturday) at a plant owned by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel in the Morowali Industrial Park in Central Sulawesi province.

"The current number of victims is 51 people. 12 people died in the incident. There are 39 people with minor and serious injuries who are currently receiving medical treatment," media report said.

Reports said that initial investigation showed the explosion happened during repair work on a furnace when a flammable liquid ignited and the subsequent blast caused nearby oxygen tanks to explode as well.