The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) reported that a fireworks factory in Mueang district, Suphan Buri province, north of Bangkok, exploded around 11 a.m. Images from the scene show the factory completely destroyed, the ground littered with debris. Nearby vehicles were also damaged.
Thai authorities said it was an illegal fireworks factory, converted from two houses, specializing in producing small firecrackers used by farmers to scare birds.
Local residents reported no unusual signs before the factory exploded. The EOD confirmed at least 9 people were killed and one seriously injured. Police are searching for those missing after the explosion.
 |
The fireworks factory in Mueang district, Suphan Buri province, Thailand, was completely destroyed after the explosion on 30/7. Photo: PBS World |
The fireworks factory in Mueang district, Suphan Buri province, Thailand, was completely destroyed after the explosion on 30/7. Photo: PBS World
Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion.
Fireworks factory explosions occur frequently in Thailand, where safety regulations are often poorly enforced. Last year, an explosion at another fireworks factory in Suphan Buri province killed at least 23 people.
In 2023, more than 10 people died and about 100 were injured in an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Sungai Kolok town, Narathiwat province.
Huyen Le (AFP, Khaosod, Thai PBS)
