Eva Deschamps / July 5, 2021
An explosion at a plastics factory near Bangkok early Monday morning left at least one person dead and 27 injured, according to authorities, as rescuers continued to evacuate residents in the early afternoon for fear of another blast.
The explosion occurred at about 03:00 local time (20:00 GMT Sunday) in the premises of a factory of the Taiwanese group Ming Dih Chemical Co, located near the international airport of the Thai capital.
By midday, a large plume of black smoke continued to rise from the site, and was visible from downtown Bangkok, about 35 kilometers away.
We have 27 injuries, mostly from cuts, and one death among the firefighters, said Somsak Kaewsena, the chief of Bang Pli district where the factory is located.
So far, about 500 residents have been evacuated to two shelters, he added.
We have ordered (local residents) to move at least 500 meters away from the site because we don't know if there is anything left that could explode, police Lieutenant General Ampon Buarubporn told AFP.
We have to wait until the fire is under control to assess the damage, he added. He said the cause of the explosion was still unknown.
At noon, some elderly residents in wheelchairs were evacuated to a school located about 9 kilometers from the blast site.
Rescue workers scoured the neighborhood in their emergency vans, asking thousands of residents via loudspeakers to leave for their safety.