2024-01-17T12:44:34+00:00
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/ A rescue member in the Thai rescue teams reported, on Wednesday, that at least 18 people were killed in an explosion that occurred in a fireworks factory in central Thailand.
According to Agence France-Presse, the source said, “18 deaths have been confirmed,” after earlier speaking about a toll of 20 dead.
The explosion occurred at approximately 15:00 (08:00 GMT) near the town of Sala Kao in Suphanburi Province.
Police told Agence France-Presse that the authorities are still verifying the official death toll.
Police Colonel Thirabog Rawangpan told Agence France-Presse, “There have been deaths and we are verifying their number… We do not see any other damage to the homes or among the residents” who live close to the site.
The reasons for the explosion were not clear.
Pictures published by the local rescue service showed metal debris on the ground amid rising columns of thick smoke.
Thailand frequently witnesses explosions in factories that produce crackers and fireworks.
10 people were killed and more than 100 injured when an explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in the town of Sungai Kolok in the southern province of Narathiwat last year.
Safety measures are also lax in the construction sector in the Southeast Asian kingdom, where fatal accidents are common.