A fireworks factory in central Thailand exploded, killing at least 17 people.
The explosion occurred around 3 p.m. (08:00 GMT) in a remote part of Suphan Buri province, roughly 120 kilometers (74 miles) north of Bangkok, according to a video shared with media of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin being briefed by phone.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately identified.
Reports say, the site, in an otherwise unoccupied rice field, levelled flat aside from debris and body parts, with a huge plume of black smoke rising above.
The explosion came less than a month before Chinese New Year, which falls on February 10, when demand for fireworks is strong.
The provincial governor says no survivors had yet been found.
“There were deaths, we are checking how many people died,” Police Colonel Theerapoj Rawangban told the AFP news agency. “We do not see more damage toward other houses or people who live in the [nearby] community,” he added.
The Prime Minister ordered an inspection of the plant to see if it was operating legally and if the explosion was caused by negligence.
One worker was killed in an accident at the factory in November 2022.
In July 2023, a large explosion at a fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 100, according to officials.
