BANGKOK: A fire broke out at a synthetic fibre factory in Bang Pu, Samut Prakan province, on Monday (July 6), leaving one worker seriously injured.
At 12.45am, Bang Pu Police Station was informed of a fire inside a synthetic fibre factory located in Soi Thetsaban Bang Pu 73, Bang Pu Mai subdistrict, Mueang district, Samut Prakan.
After receiving the report, police coordinated with Bang Pu Municipality and nearby local authorities, which dispatched more than 10 fire engines along with disaster-relief volunteers to the scene.
Firefighters found flames burning fiercely inside the factory before spreading to a five-storey building and nearby structures. The presence of synthetic fibre inside the premises provided highly flammable material, causing the fire to intensify rapidly.
Fire crews from several agencies rushed to spray water to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. However, strong gusts of wind and falling building debris made firefighting operations difficult.
At around 2.50am, the fire was still burning violently. Various materials inside the building continued to fall, while structural parts were scattered around the factory warehouse area. Authorities ordered all firefighters to evacuate from inside the building for safety reasons, leaving crews able only to spray water from surrounding areas.
During the operation, firefighters found a factory employee who had tried to help extinguish the blaze. The worker had lost consciousness from lack of oxygen and was quickly carried to a safe area, where rescuers performed CPR.
Wasana, 56, a security guard who witnessed the incident, said he was walking on patrol when he saw smoke and flames rising from the back of the building.
He said no one was working at the time because it was a Sunday holiday. Before the fire broke out, he had not heard any explosion or unusual sound. He saw only smoke billowing up before flames quickly followed.
Wasana said he immediately called other employees to help put out the fire, but they were unable to control it. The flames then spread rapidly over a wider area.
As of 3.15am, disaster-relief volunteers had deployed a drone to inspect the scene and found flames covering the entire building. - The Nation/ANN
