A massive blast on Monday at a factory on the outskirts of Thailand’s capital Bangkok killed at least one person and injured 29 others and led to the evacuation of thousands amid fears of toxic fumes and the possibility of more explosions.
Local reports said that the blast occurred at about 3am on Monday local time at a foam and plastic pallet manufacturing factory just outside Bangkok, near the city’s main Suvarnabhumi international airport.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion shook the international airport and debris could be seen flying in the air.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that firefighters used helicopters to douse the flames in the hard-to-access areas in the large factory complex.
Chailit Suwannakitpong, a local disaster prevention official, was quoted as saying: “By mid-morning, the main blaze at the Ming Dih Chemical factory had been brought under control, but a massive tank containing the chemical styrene monomer continued to burn.”
The explosion could be heard from miles away, local reports said. Surveillance video footage even captured the bright flash of the explosion.
Jaruwan Chamsopa, who lives about three kilometres from the factory, told AP that the explosion occurred in the middle of the night and damaged the roof of her house and caused parts of the ceiling to tumble down.
The windows of every house on her road were broken as well. “I was shocked when the explosion took place. I came out and saw a big fire in the sky.”
“I didn’t realise that it would be such a dangerous chemical that I would have to evacuate,” she added. The couple didn’t leave the house till 8 am. She said: “I am worried because the black smoke has reached my house.”
Firefights could be seen in several photos battling the blaze as smoke billowed out from the factory hours after the explosion.
Officials soon ordered the evacuation of an area of upto five kilometres around the factory. Several evacuation centres were set up in schools and government offices. Volunteer rescue worker Anyawut Phoampai told Thailand public television station TPBS that early efforts to find people possibly still in the factory were hampered by the time it took to bring the fire under control.
He said: “The flames are quite high so it takes quite an effort.”
However, there is no confirmation of the cause of the explosion. AP reported that the initial explosion in Bang Phli district shook the terminal building at Suvarnabhumi airport, “setting off alarms at Bangkok’s main international airport.”
Styrene monomer, a hazardous liquid chemical used in the production of disposable foam plates, cups and other products, can produce poisonous fumes when ignited. Mr Chailit said officials were trying to move all people out of the area, including doctors and patients from the neighbourhood’s main hospital, over fears that the fumes will cause harm to locals and the possibility of more explosions.
In a statement, airport officials confirmed that no flight has been cancelled. However, it was monitoring the situation and was prepared to “put in place contingency plans in case of emergency.”