THE violent blaze at the foam and plastic pellet factory in King Kaew Soi 21, Samut Prakan province, intensified again after a new explosion at 8. 45 p.m. tonight, Sanook.com and Amarin TV said.
Over seventeen hours after a string of explosions triggered a massive blaze at Ming Dih Chemical Co., Ltd factory at 3.20 a.m. a loud blast was heard and thick black smoke again poured into the sky with this occurring after it had been brought under 50 percent control.
Read earlier reports: Factory Fire Still Raging As Toxic Fumes Blow Towards On Nut, Lat Krabang
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30 hurt as firemen battle huge chemical factory fire
Mr. Anwut Phoampai, a rescue worker, broadcast live on the Facebook page NAKON45 that after the new blast the firefighting team stopped spraying foam at the blaze as they prepared to spray both water and foam to extinguish it.
The factory manager Mr.Hsu cheng -chung, 54, told investigators that at around 3 a.m. while he was sleeping in a room next to the factory workers called and told him some chemicals had leaked.
He hurriedly went to inspect but could not enter because of the strong smell of chemicals and then ran away.
Before the fire the following raw materials were stored at the factory:
– Pentane, about 60-70 tonnes;
– Styrene monomer, approximately 1,600 tonnes;
– About 300 tonnes of water.
It was not initially known what led to a chemical spill.
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The violent blaze at the foam and plastic pellet factory. Photos: Sanook.com
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