Blast at industrial estate in Prachinburi province claims two lives
Incident occurred when chemical was overfilled beyond specified limit, causing severe chemical reaction
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) on Saturday reported an explosion of a storage tank at Xiao Xiang Non-ferrous Metal Co Ltd, a metal extraction and melting factory in the Bor Thong Industrial Estate, Prachinburi province.
Initially, two fatalities and several injuries were reported.
Investigators said the incident occurred when a worker overfilled a chemical beyond the specified limit, causing a severe chemical reaction.
The IEAT has ordered the factory to halt some operations temporarily and has expedited a thorough investigation to determine the cause. It says it is also coordinating with relevant agencies to provide full assistance to those affected.
Sumet Tangprasert, acting governor of the IEAT, said the authority will conduct stringent inspections to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
Furthermore, the IEAT has dispatched officials to the site to assist and monitor the situation closely.
The IEAT has also reviewed the operating licence for the company, noting that it submitted its application on January 30 and began operations on February 2, with licence number 2-61-0-301-00065-2567.
The IEAT will conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the accident, assess damages, and evaluate environmental impacts, as well as providing support and compensation for those affected. At the same time, it has sent officials to ensure the factory strictly adheres to safety standards.
