Firefighters have been withdrawn from the scene of a fire at chemical warehouses in Rayong province, following chemical tank explosions on Monday.
The fire at the warehouses storing industrial waste and chemicals in Baan Khai district has been raging for over 6 hours. The fire continues to spread throughout the storage building, which houses nearly 10 warehouses, accompanied by continuous explosions.
For safety reasons, firefighters and fire trucks have been withdrawn from the scene due to the ongoing chemical tank explosions and the dispersion of chemicals into the air, causing both foul odors and eye and skin irritation.
The Director-General of the Department of Pollution Control has instructed the Pollution Control Division to coordinate with the local administration to consider evacuating residents in the affected area, including schools or childcare centers, to safe locations. Local authorities have established an evacuation center at Wat Nong Phawa.
The Pollution Control Center of Rayong province and the Environmental Pollution Control Office were ordered to send officials to assess air quality in the surrounding communities. Meanwhile, emergency response units are preparing to inspect the site and provide recommendations.
Officials from the Rayong Industrial Office revealed that the company, providing industrial waste disposal service is under the supervision of the Department of Industrial Works and is subject to legal action.
Most recently, the owner of the factory was found guilty by the court of possessing hazardous and toxic substances and was ordered to properly dispose of all industrial waste according to the required procedures.
However, the fire broke out before they could comply with the court order and remove the waste for proper disposal. (TNA)
