Blast at Thai factory kills one, mass evacuation under way
One person died and another 29 people were injured after a massive explosion at a factory on the outskirts of Bangkok early on Monday (Jul 5). Local media reported that the initial explosion shook the terminal building at Suvarnabhumi Airport, setting off alarms at Bangkok's main international airport. Airport officials said that no flights had been cancelled but offered no other immediate details.
Firefighters could be seen in photos from Thai media climbing through twisted steel wreckage to get their hoses close enough to the flames as they fought to control the blaze.Other photos showed nearby homes with their windows blown out and wreckage in the streets, with black smoke billowing over the area even hours later.
The fire broke out at around 3am at the foam and plastic pallet manufacturing factory in a south-eastern area just outside Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi Airport. Authorities ordered the evacuation of an area 5km around the scene amid fears that thousands of liters of leaking chemicals may cause more explosions.Evacuation centers were set up in a school and a government office for those forced from their homes.
