Where in Thailand did the fireworks factory explosion take place? Nearly 20 fatalities reported so far

At least 20 people died on Wednesday, January 17, in an explosion at a fireworks factory explosion in central Thailand, according to the officials. As per sources like the Independent, the authorities made the death toll official. Following the incident, the officials were attempting to protect the area and assist those who were impacted, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

As per CNN, the explosion happened close to Sala Khao township in central Suphan Buri province in Thailand at approximately 4 p.m. local time (4 a.m. ET). The province between the place and the north of Bangkok, the capital, is roughly 120 kilometers or 74 miles.

Addressing this tragic incident, CNN was informed by Police Colonel Peerapoj Rawangbarn, who said,

“We estimated there are about 10 deaths, we are still investigating the cause and the exact number of casualties”.

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Many people died in the fireworks factory explosion in Thailand

The explosion took place near Suphan Buri in Thailand (Image via Facebook / Office National du Tourisme de Thaïlande / X / @KIDataApp)

The images and the videos of the incident, which went viral on different social media platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter) and Facebook, showed a dense cloud of black smoke. The pictures also showed the factory's remains, and the location, which was in an otherwise empty rice field. These pictures were shared by the local rescue workers and other social media users online.

According to information provided by the Samerkun Suphan Buri Rescue Foundation of Thailand, the fire has been extinguished. Moreover, the rescue personnel and the forensic experts were then attempting to look for and recover the trapped people from and around the destroyed plant.

As per Reuters, Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, who is currently in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, expressed his sympathies for the deceased people. He also demanded a prompt investigation to determine whether incompetence was the cause of the explosion.

The Prime Minister's office released a video of the regional police commander telling him over the phone that there were 20 to 30 workers in the factory at the time of the explosion and that none of them could be located.

Al Jazeera reports that Srettha's office stated,

“The prime minister ordered an inspection of the plant to see if it was operating legally and if the explosion was caused by negligence. The law must be enforced to the fullest extent because there are innocent deaths and injuries”.

At the scene, rescue personnel reported that no survivors had been located. The provincial governor, Nattapat Suwanprateep, supported the remark, and told the news agency Reuters that,

“We cannot tell whether all the workers were killed. The officials are entering the site to investigate. They have not found any survivors”.

On the other hand, Al Jazeera has also reported that Theerapoj Rawangban, a colonel in the police, told AFP,

“There were deaths, we are checking how many people died. We do not see more damage toward other houses or people who live in the [nearby] community”.

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Furthermore, CNN also reported that fireworks mishaps are frequent in Thailand. An explosion at a fireworks factory in the southern village of Mu No in July 2023, left at least 12 people dead. The explosion caused injuries to over 100 people as well.

Meanwhile, the Wednesday explosion occurred less than a month before the Chinese New Year, which comes on February 10, when there is a high demand for fireworks. However, the reason behind the explosion is still unknown.