Incident Report Subject: 12 Killed, 140 Injured in Thailand Factory Explosion Date of Email report: Sun 06/05/2012 Report Detail:
At least 12 people were killed and nearly 140 injured in a major fire after an explosion at a petrochemical factory in eastern Thailand. The explosion occurred yesterday at a unit of Bangkok Synthetics Co in Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong province, which is one of the biggest industrial areas in Thailand. A Health Ministry official said 12 people had died in the fire. An initial investigation found that the blast occurred when workers were putting toluene, a type of chemical widely used as an industrial feedstock and as a solvent, into a tank, Rayong Governor Senee Jitakasem said. The fire was quelled early this morning and leak of toxic chemicals has also been brought under control, Governor of the Industrial Estates Authority of Thailand, Verapong Chaiperm said, adding none of the villagers have been affected by toxic chemicals. Thousands of people had been evacuated from nearby factories within the three kilometre radius of the factory to prevent them from inhaling toxic gases.
Additional Documentation:
AN inferno at a chemical factory in eastern Thailand has killed 12 people, injured more than 100 and released toxic smoke into the air. Hundreds of residents had to be evacuated after the fire, which was caused by an explosion at the factory in Rayong province, sent a plume of black acrid smoke into the sky. Firefighters quelled the blaze but health officials continued to monitor air quality amid concerns poisonous fumes may still seep into the air. A health ministry statement said 12 people had died in the explosion and ensuing fire, while 129 were injured, mainly suffering burns. The majority of the victims are believed to be factory workers. "Doctors said 12 were killed in yesterday's explosion but we can only confirm 10 so far," Map Ta Phut police Lieutenant Colonel Charoen Vititkornkul said. "Police forensic teams are searching for clues to what happened and we are also looking for any more bodies," he said, adding police were ready to evacuate more local residents if necessary. Rayong province, about 140km south of Bangkok, is one of Thailand's biggest industrial areas.
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