One dead, 33 injured from Bangkok factory explosion
Issued on: 05/07/2021
More than 17 hours after the explosion, the fire was still raging
Lillian SUWANRUMPHA AFP
Bangkok (AFP)
An explosion near Bangkok's international airport Monday left a plastics factory in flames, killing at least one firefighter and wounding 33 people as rescue workers struggled to extinguish the blaze hours later.
Heavy plumes of black smoke could be seen rising to the sky from the city's downtown 35 kilometres (21 miles) away, and by early evening the dark clouds had shrouded the Thai capital.
The blast occurred around 3 am at Taiwan-owned Ming Dih Chemical Co., located on the outskirts of Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province.
The cause of the explosion is still unknown.
By nightfall, more than 1,800 people had been evacuated, according to officials. At makeshift shelters, including a nearby school about nine kilometres away, elderly people in wheelchairs and families carrying masked babies waited to return home.
But by 8 pm, more than 17 hours after the explosion, the fire was still raging, with rolling balls of flames unquelled by the continuous spray of water cannon from fire trucks.#photo1
Helicopters had also dumped flame suppression foam onto the factory site, to no avail.
"We are now able to limit the fire area," said Wanchai Kongkasem, the governor of Samut Prakan province. "Though it is getting dark, we will continue to work as we want to finish putting it out as soon as possible."
"We are confident we can make it," he said.
Rescue workers drove around surrounding neighbourhoods in emergency vans, telling people via loudspeakers to leave for their safety.
Some, fearful of another explosion, had already packed their belongings in backpacks and waited outside their homes to be picked up by organised vans.
The public has been ordered to stay at least 500 metres away from the blast site, said Lieutenant General Ampon Buarubporn.
Though he added that "we do not know if there is anything left to explode".
In a statement posted on his Facebook, Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha praised the rescue workers, volunteers and officials toiling to put out the fire.#photo2
"I would like to send my condolences to the family of the dead and honour the volunteers and officials who take all risks in preventing danger to others in this accident," he said.
- Air quality -
According to officials, Ming Dih Chemical Co. produces expanded polystyrene -- colloquially known as styrofoam -- and has been in operation since 1985 in Bang Pli district.
Besides being the site of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the five-kilometre radius around the factory is also home to about 300 factories and residential neighbourhoods housing 240 communities.
Throughout the day, the changing direction of the wind shifted jet-black fumes across Bangkok, sending dark plumes of smoke twisting between its skyscrapers.
"We have sent air quality vehicles to check the air around the area and will work together with the pollution control department," said Industrial Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit.
Multiple fire trucks, water trucks and two helicopters were deployed to quell the blaze, which left a wreckage of debris and gnarled metal beams.
"Two flights carried 6,000 tons of firefighting foam to put out the fire," said deputy interior minister Niphon Boonyamanee.#photo4
"We are supporting the operation with our full capacity so the situation will be in control as soon as possible."
Traffic around the area was thrown into chaos as authorities closed a main road running parallel to the airport, while strong fumes of burning plastic permeated the area.
Thitipong Choke-umnuay, whose workplace is about 10 kilometres away from the factory and escaped the impact, said his family members living closer were not so lucky.
His aunt had evacuated to his office after the impact of the explosion caused severe damage to her home.
"Today she will move to my house in Lat Phrao (in central Bangkok) because she can't live at her house," the customs clearance agent told AFP.
"It's a chemical explosion so there are strong smells."
© 2021 AFP
Bangkok (AFP)
An explosion near Bangkok's international airport Monday left a plastics factory in flames, killing at least one firefighter and wounding 33 people as rescue workers struggled to extinguish the blaze hours later.
Heavy plumes of black smoke could be seen rising to the sky from the city's downtown 35 kilometres (21 miles) away, and by early evening the dark clouds had shrouded the Thai capital.
The blast occurred around 3 am at Taiwan-owned Ming Dih Chemical Co., located on the outskirts of Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan province.
The cause of the explosion is still unknown.
By nightfall, more than 1,800 people had been evacuated, according to officials. At makeshift shelters, including a nearby school about nine kilometres away, elderly people in wheelchairs and families carrying masked babies waited to return home.
But by 8 pm, more than 17 hours after the explosion, the fire was still raging, with rolling balls of flames unquelled by the continuous spray of water cannon from fire trucks.#photo1
Helicopters had also dumped flame suppression foam onto the factory site, to no avail.
"We are now able to limit the fire area," said Wanchai Kongkasem, the governor of Samut Prakan province. "Though it is getting dark, we will continue to work as we want to finish putting it out as soon as possible."
"We are confident we can make it," he said.
Rescue workers drove around surrounding neighbourhoods in emergency vans, telling people via loudspeakers to leave for their safety.
Some, fearful of another explosion, had already packed their belongings in backpacks and waited outside their homes to be picked up by organised vans.
The public has been ordered to stay at least 500 metres away from the blast site, said Lieutenant General Ampon Buarubporn.
Though he added that "we do not know if there is anything left to explode".
In a statement posted on his Facebook, Premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha praised the rescue workers, volunteers and officials toiling to put out the fire.#photo2
"I would like to send my condolences to the family of the dead and honour the volunteers and officials who take all risks in preventing danger to others in this accident," he said.
- Air quality -
According to officials, Ming Dih Chemical Co. produces expanded polystyrene -- colloquially known as styrofoam -- and has been in operation since 1985 in Bang Pli district.
Besides being the site of Suvarnabhumi Airport, the five-kilometre radius around the factory is also home to about 300 factories and residential neighbourhoods housing 240 communities.
Throughout the day, the changing direction of the wind shifted jet-black fumes across Bangkok, sending dark plumes of smoke twisting between its skyscrapers.
"We have sent air quality vehicles to check the air around the area and will work together with the pollution control department," said Industrial Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit.
Multiple fire trucks, water trucks and two helicopters were deployed to quell the blaze, which left a wreckage of debris and gnarled metal beams.
"Two flights carried 6,000 tons of firefighting foam to put out the fire," said deputy interior minister Niphon Boonyamanee.#photo4
"We are supporting the operation with our full capacity so the situation will be in control as soon as possible."
Traffic around the area was thrown into chaos as authorities closed a main road running parallel to the airport, while strong fumes of burning plastic permeated the area.
Thitipong Choke-umnuay, whose workplace is about 10 kilometres away from the factory and escaped the impact, said his family members living closer were not so lucky.
His aunt had evacuated to his office after the impact of the explosion caused severe damage to her home.
"Today she will move to my house in Lat Phrao (in central Bangkok) because she can't live at her house," the customs clearance agent told AFP.
"It's a chemical explosion so there are strong smells."
© 2021 AFP
Blast at Thai factory kills one, mass evacuation under way
Thousands evacuated as firefighters battle blazes for hours after an explosion at a plastics manufacturing factory.
Thousands evacuated as firefighters battle blazes for hours after an explosion at a plastics manufacturing factory.
A Buddha statue is seen as smoke billows from an explosion and fire at a plastics factory in Bangkok on July 5, 2021 [Lillian Suwanrumpha/ AFP]
5 Jul 2021
A huge explosion and a fire at a factory on the outskirts of the Thai capital has killed at least one person and wounded 29 others, according to officials.
The blast occurred at about 3am on Monday (20:00 GMT Sunday) at a foam and plastic pallet manufacturing factory just outside Bangkok near the city’s main Suvarnabhumi international airport.
It could be heard for kilometers and surveillance footage from a nearby house captured the bright flash and boom, followed by the damage to the home and the one next door from the shockwaves.
“At first it felt like lightning. After that, I heard something drop loudly, and for a while the house started shaking like there was an earthquake,” said Baitong Nisarat, a resident.
Local disaster authorities said 70 houses were damaged and the blazes were still being fought 10 hours after the explosion.
Firefighters could be seen in photos from Thai media climbing through twisted steel wreckage of the Ming Dih complex’s warehouses to get their hoses close enough to the flames as they fought to control the blaze.
The charred body of the only fatality identified so far – a male volunteer rescue worker – lay face down among the wreckage.
Other photos showed nearby homes with their windows blown out and wreckage in the streets, with black smoke billowing over the area.
The cause of the blast had yet to be determined.
Volunteer rescue worker Anyawut Phoampai told Thailand public TV station TPBS that early attempts to find people possibly still in the factory were hampered by the huge flames.
“The flames are quite high so it takes quite an effort,” he said as the rescue effort was under way.
“Rescuers also are spreading out because we receive calls for people who have injuries from the explosion from the extended area, one or two streets away from here. There are reports of falling debris, injuries from debris impacts on peoples heads,” he added.
Residents in Samut Prakan province who live within a five-kilometre (3.1-mile) radius of the factory, owned by a Taiwanese company, were being evacuated amid concerns over poisonous fumes from burning chemicals and the possibility of additional detonations.
Chailit Suwannakitpong, a local disaster prevention official, told the Associated Press news agency that a huge tank containing the chemical styrene monomer was continuing to burn.
The substance is a hazardous liquid chemical used in the production of disposable foam plates, cups and other products, and can produce poisonous fumes when ignited. The chemical itself also emits styrene gas, a neurotoxin, which can immobilize people within minutes of inhalation and can be fatal at high concentrations.
The Ming Dih factory is located about 4.8 km (2.98 miles) from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
The airport said flights and its operations were not affected by the blast.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
5 Jul 2021
A huge explosion and a fire at a factory on the outskirts of the Thai capital has killed at least one person and wounded 29 others, according to officials.
The blast occurred at about 3am on Monday (20:00 GMT Sunday) at a foam and plastic pallet manufacturing factory just outside Bangkok near the city’s main Suvarnabhumi international airport.
It could be heard for kilometers and surveillance footage from a nearby house captured the bright flash and boom, followed by the damage to the home and the one next door from the shockwaves.
“At first it felt like lightning. After that, I heard something drop loudly, and for a while the house started shaking like there was an earthquake,” said Baitong Nisarat, a resident.
Local disaster authorities said 70 houses were damaged and the blazes were still being fought 10 hours after the explosion.
Firefighters could be seen in photos from Thai media climbing through twisted steel wreckage of the Ming Dih complex’s warehouses to get their hoses close enough to the flames as they fought to control the blaze.
The charred body of the only fatality identified so far – a male volunteer rescue worker – lay face down among the wreckage.
Other photos showed nearby homes with their windows blown out and wreckage in the streets, with black smoke billowing over the area.
The cause of the blast had yet to be determined.
Volunteer rescue worker Anyawut Phoampai told Thailand public TV station TPBS that early attempts to find people possibly still in the factory were hampered by the huge flames.
“The flames are quite high so it takes quite an effort,” he said as the rescue effort was under way.
“Rescuers also are spreading out because we receive calls for people who have injuries from the explosion from the extended area, one or two streets away from here. There are reports of falling debris, injuries from debris impacts on peoples heads,” he added.
Residents in Samut Prakan province who live within a five-kilometre (3.1-mile) radius of the factory, owned by a Taiwanese company, were being evacuated amid concerns over poisonous fumes from burning chemicals and the possibility of additional detonations.
Chailit Suwannakitpong, a local disaster prevention official, told the Associated Press news agency that a huge tank containing the chemical styrene monomer was continuing to burn.
The substance is a hazardous liquid chemical used in the production of disposable foam plates, cups and other products, and can produce poisonous fumes when ignited. The chemical itself also emits styrene gas, a neurotoxin, which can immobilize people within minutes of inhalation and can be fatal at high concentrations.
The airport said flights and its operations were not affected by the blast.
SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
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