Thread: Ayutthaya chemical store fire forces hospital and community evacuations

A warehouse, storing toxic chemicals and industrial waste in the Phachi district of Ayutthaya, caught fire yesterday evening, forcing the evacuation of patients from the district hospital and people living in the vicinity of the warehouse.


Periodic explosions were heard during the blaze and a column of thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky in Village 2 of Phachi sub-district.


Phachi municipal officials advised people living in the neighbourhood of the warehouse to wear face masks and to stay outdoors and Ayutthaya’s governor has ordered the transfer about 40 in-patients from Phachi Hospital to other hospitals in the province.


Fire trucks, equipped with chemical foam, and firemen specialising in handling chemical fires were sent from Suphan Buri to help control the fire.


Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, public health permanent secretary, said that the Ayutthaya provincial health office has set up an emergency centre to deal with patients suffering from chemical smoke inhalation or chemical fire burns, but no injuries have been reported so far.


Industrial Works Department Director-General Jullapong Thaveesri said last night that about 3,000 tonnes of chemicals, solvents and industrial waste are also stored in an adjacent warehouse, adding that the fire must be prevented from spreading to this warehouse.

Ayutthaya chemical store fire forces hospital and community evacuations | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Illegal Chemical Warehouse Fire in Ayutthaya Engulfs Four Tonnes of Seized Waste, Prompts Emergency Evacuations

At 6:00 PM, on May 1st, 2024, Thai national media reported a fire incident of more than four tonnes of police-seized chemical waste at an illegal chemical storage warehouse in Phachi, Ayutthaya.


The illegal chemical storage warehouse was engulfed in violent flames and the area was covered by chemical smoke causing an unpleasant smell to locals.

Ayutthaya relevant agencies coordinated with more than 10 firetrucks to keep the fire under control overnight as the chemical waste was unidentified substances.


The locals and a nearby hospital patient were requested for immediate evacuation at night as the affected radius was three kilometers.


As of press time, the firefighters could extinguish the fire, however, white chemical smoke and an unpleasant smell were still in effect in a 100-meter radius.

Upon inspecting the air quality, the Thai Pollution Control Department reported that the air quality was not at a dangerous level, however, at the warehouse, the toxicity level was still very high. The Ayutthaya officials set up a field hospital as a temporary shelter for the locals.

Illegal Chemical Warehouse Fire in Ayutthaya Engulfs Four Tonnes of Seized Waste, Prompts Emergency Evacuations - The Pattaya News

Ayutthaya chemical warehouse fires may be arson

Wednesday’s fires at warehouses containing chemical and industrial waste in Phachi district of Ayutthaya may have been set by arsonists, as one of the warehouses caught fire previously and evidence shows that it was arson on that occasion, said Jullapong Thaveesri, outgoing director-general of the Industrial Works Department.


In the past three months, three fires have been reported at these warehouses, he said, Jullapong has tendered his resignation, just five months before he reached retirement age in September without giving reason.


Meanwhile, Pol Maj-Gen Watcharin Phusit, commander of the Natural Resources and Environment Crime Suppression Division, said that warrants will be sought for the arrests of the owners of the warehouses in Phachi district and at the Win Process company in Rayong province.


He said they could face charges of possessing hazardous chemicals without a permit and illegal management of industrial waste.


Firemen, working in shifts throughout Wednesday night, used water and chemical foam to contain fires in two of the five warehouses at the site. The fire was brought under control at about 1am this morning.


The pungent smell from the burning chemicals and industrial waste posed an obstacle to the firemen. About 50 fire trucks were involved in the effort to contain the fire.


Meanwhile, the municipality of Phachi sub-district has announced that their district hospitals will remain closed, because of the high level of airborne chemical residue carried in the smoke.


A field hospital has, however, been set up at Kok Muang Temple to provide out-patient and emergency services. 28 people were treated yesterday, including nine who were suffering with eye and throat irritations.


Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, the permanent secretary of public health, praised the medical emergency operations centre in Ayutthaya for its quick response to the fires, by evacuating all in-patients from Phachi district hospital to other hospitals or to their homes, and the immediate setting up of a field hospital.


He said that health officials have examined about 600 people within a kilometre of the burning warehouses and only 74 were suffering from mild eye irritations and nausea, adding that they will have lung X-rays taken later, to make sure that they have no other medical issues.


About 26 people were housed in an evacuation shelter and a number of them have now returned home, after their communities were declared safe.


Tap water in the villages is also safe for consumption.

Ayutthaya chemical warehouse fires may be arson | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Lots of people covering, or attempting to cover their tracks in the illegal waste biz atm.