Explosion in chemical factory, 1 killed, 30 injured in accident

At least one person has been killed and 30 others injured during an explosion and subsequent fire at a chemical factory near Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport. The blast shook a plastic foam factory in the Bang Phali district of Samut Prakan province and caught fire.

The fire is yet to be brought under control and the cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained.

The explosion reportedly occurred in 1989 at the factory of Ming Dih Chemical, a company founded in Thailand by Taiwanese businessmen from China, and caused damage to 10 factories and the surrounding residential area. A 19-year-old firefighter died on the spot and three others were seriously injured, police said.

A Chinese embassy official confirmed that about 30 people were injured in the crash, including at least one Chinese employee.

It is suspected that the accident occurred due to styrene monomer, a flammable chemical material kept in the factory.

A senior official of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said due to the toxic fumes and strong winds still emanating from the plant, the evacuation radius has been increased from 5 km to 10 km.

Prominent Bang Phali District Officer Somsak Kaosena said several residents have been brought to safety and provided temporary shelter in the eastern district.