Around 20 people were killed in Thailand in an explosion on Wednesday at a firework factory north of Bangkok, police said, as authorities inspected the site but were yet to find survivors.
It was not immediately clear what caused the incident, which took place mid-afternoon in Suphan Buri province about 74.56 miles north of Bangkok, police said.
“We cannot tell whether all the workers were killed. The officials are entering the site to investigate. They have not found any survivors,” Provincial governor, Nattapat Suwanprateep, told Reuters.
A preliminary investigation put the death toll at 20, according to a police statement, with many injured.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was briefed on the explosion while at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and urged a swift investigation.
Smoke is seen rising after a deadly explosion at a fireworks factory near Sala Khao township in Thailand’s Suphan Buri province on Jan. 17, 2024. THAILAND'S NOVICE KAEW SUPHANBURI HIGHWAY RESCUE ASSOCIATION/AFP via Getty Images
Debris is spread out on a field after the explosion at a fireworks factory near Sala Khao township in Thailand’s Suphan Buri province on Jan. 17, 2024. THAILAND'S NOVICE KAEW SUPHANBURI HIGHWAY RESCUE ASSOCIATION/AFP via Getty Images“The prime minister ordered an inspection of the plant to see if it was operating legally and if the explosion was caused by negligence. The law must be enforced to the fullest extent because there are innocent deaths and injuries,” Srettha’s office said.
