(MENAFN) A tragic incident unfolded in eastern Thailand as a massive blaze engulfed an industrial park housing a gas storage facility, resulting in one fatality and injuries to several individuals, with hundreds forced to evacuate the area. The fire erupted in a gas storage tank at the Maptaphut Industrial Port in Rayong province around 10:35 a.m. local time, according to officials.
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) confirmed that four individuals sustained injuries in the blaze, with one person succumbing to their injuries in the hospital. Video footage circulated by local media captured the harrowing scene, depicting dense clouds of black smoke billowing from the storage tank and flames raging fiercely, casting dark fumes over the industrial park.
Attaya Attaya Nual-Uthai, head of Rayong province's disaster prevention and mitigation office, disclosed that approximately 200 people were evacuated from the vicinity, although further details were not provided. The cause of the conflagration remains unclear, as investigations into the incident are ongoing.
In response to the emergency, rescue vehicles from neighboring provinces rushed to the scene to assist in extinguishing the fire by pumping seawater onto the flames. They joined a contingent of eight fire engines and four water trucks deployed to combat the blaze, as reported by IEAT.
The occurrence of fires in Thailand has witnessed a notable uptick in recent times, coinciding with a severe heatwave sweeping across South and Southeast Asia. While natural phenomena may exacerbate the risk of such incidents, industrial accidents are unfortunately not uncommon in Thailand, where safety regulations are often criticized for their lax enforcement. As authorities continue to investigate the cause of the blaze, the tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of stringent safety measures in industrial settings to prevent such calamities in the future.
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