PATHUMTHANI, 13 November 2014 – The Ministry of Industry has ordered a 60-day closure of the Pathumthani factory belonging to electronic parts maker SVI Plc. after an intense fire burned through the plant on Wednesday.
Minister of Industry Chakramon Phasukvanich on Wednesday ordered the Department of Industrial Works to shut down the factory for 60 days for inspection of the building’s integrity and damage assessment. Mr. Chakramon revealed that the air quality reading in the vicinity of the plant had dropped below the acceptable level during the fire, but has since returned to normal.
Sakda Phankla, director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, said while inspecting the factory in Bang Kadi Industrial Park in Mueang district of Pathumthani that the fire started on the ceiling of the plant, likely from electricity short-circuiting. The fire then spread rapidly throughout the plant, which boasts an area of 20,000 square meters, as it was fueled by alcohol, electrical circuits and plastics inside the building. Total damage value is expected to be at least 1 billion baht.
Two factory employees were reportedly injured after having inhaled smoke, but their condition has improved and they are now deemed safe.
