BANGKOK, Thailand – A devastating explosion at a fireworks factory in central Thailand has resulted in the loss of about 20 lives, as confirmed by provincial officials on Wednesday. The scene is currently in chaos, making it difficult to determine an accurate death toll.
The Suphan Buri provincial government initially reported 23 people killed in the mid-afternoon blast but later revised the figure to 19 dead and three missing. The national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation had previously estimated at least 20 people killed.
Suphan Buri, located 95 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Bangkok, is situated in Thailand’s central rice-growing region.
Photos circulating on social media revealed a thick plume of black smoke rising from the scene. Local rescue workers shared images showing the factory site completely flattened.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, currently in Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, was informed via phone by the regional police commander that there were 20 to 30 workers at the factory during the explosion, none of whom could be located, according to a video distributed by his office.
Rescue workers at the site reported no survivors, contradicting the statement by the disaster department that wounded individuals had been found. Kritsada Manee-In, a rescue worker with the Samerkun Suphan Buri Rescue Foundation, mentioned the difficulty of obtaining an exact count due to the condition of the bodies.
The explosion occurred less than a month before Chinese New Year, a time when demand for fireworks is high. The national disaster agency has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.
National police chief Torsak Sukvimol confirmed reports of another explosion at the factory in November 2022, which resulted in the death of one worker and serious injuries to three others. He stated that legal action would be pursued for any negligence involved in the latest accident.
In July last year, a fireworks warehouse explosion in southern Thailand killed at least 10 people and wounded over 100. The blast, in Narathiwat province, damaged approximately 100 houses within a 500-meter (1,640-foot) radius. The governor of Narathiwat attributed the explosion to construction work in the warehouse, causing sparks from metal welding to ignite the stored fireworks.
This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers associated with fireworks production, adding to the urgency of enforcing safety measures in such facilities.