Many injuries and people trapped after explosion rocks plastics factory in Samut Prakan

[Pravda]

3 hours ago, samtam said:

Still burning now @15.20 12 hours later:

This was the fire at 9 am:

 

 

I hope you are renting 

[LiamSiam]

Guys do you think those who can should get out of the city for a couple of days ???

[Golden Triangle]

The first person to even mildly suggest that this is a distraction event created by the government to distract from the current covid-19 crisis is a very bad person.  laughing emoji inserted ???? ????

[samtam]

46 minutes ago, Pravda said:

 

I hope you are renting 

Why?

 

[snoop1130]

No Impacts of Chemical Plant Explosions on Airport

 

 

SAMUT PRAKAN, July 5 (TNA) – Explosions at a plastic and foam bead factory in Samut Prakan province had no impacts on nearby Suvarnabhumi airport yet, according to Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.

 

The minister said that there were five tanks each containing 10,000 liters of chemicals at Ming Dih Chemical Co on King Kaew Road. Two tanks exploded, he said.

 

The minister said Suvarnabhumi airport was about three kilometers away. 

 

Full Story: https://tna.mcot.net/english-news-732195

 

-- © Copyright TNA 2021-07-05

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[connda]

10 hours ago, Bangkokhatter said:

This factory is around 500 metres behind our home.

 

Was a massive bang around 3.30 this morning and ended up with a fair bit of damage to ceilings, doors and windows, many of the houses in the Moobahn suffered the same.

 

Was eventually told to evacuate around 8.00 am this morning as they fear more explosions.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Judging by this I'm glad ya'll are Ok.

[SW Happy]

10 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I warned you not to have the chicken Vindaloo last night.

[webfact]

Fire rages, mass evacuation after Thai factory blast

 

Smoke rises from a plastic factory after an explosion in Samut Prakan, outside Bangkok, Thailand July 5, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thousands of people on the outskirts of Thailand's capital were being evacuated on Monday as firefighters battled blazes for hours after a factory explosion that killed a rescue worker and wounded 29 people, officials said.

 

Disaster authorities said 70 houses were damaged and fires were still being fought 15 hours after the explosion in Samut Prakan province in the early hours of Monday.

 

The cause of the blast at the Taiwanese-owned factory had yet to be determined. The nearby Suvarnabhumi international airport, Thailand's main gateway, said its operations were not affected.

 

Fire Fighters extinguish a plastic factory after explosion in Samut Prakan, outside Bangkok, Thailand July 5, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

A large cloud of black smoke could be seen from Bangkok and the city's water authority warned people against drinking potentially contaminated rainwater.

 

Samut Prakan residents living within five kilometres (3.1 miles) of the factory were being moved away as a precaution.

 

"At first it felt like lightning. After that, I heard something drop loudly, and for a while the house started shaking like there was an earthquake," said Baitong Nisarat, a resident.

 

The industry ministry said as much as 700 million baht ($21.79 million) of assets could be lost in the fire.

 

 

Reuters could not reach the factory's operator and its parent company in Taiwan did mot immediately respond to an request by email for comment.

 

The 32-year-old factory makes expandable polystyrene foam. According to the department of industrial works, styrene monomer, a base chemical needed to make foam, is highly flammable and polystyrene releases toxic chemicals when heated.

 

($1 = 32.1200 baht)

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Additional reporting by Jiraporn Kuhakan; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Martin Petty)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-07-06

[Stargeezr]

My wife s friend lives in the area, . She had went to work, then her sister called for help, luckily she was able to 

get back to her house, load up the car and escape the area, with her sister, as they were upwind from that blaze.

  Geezer

[Bangkokhatter]

14 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

I hope you are renting 

Not renting but fully insured, lets see how that works out in reality.

[mtls2005]

Let's hope there is a plan going forward.

 

 

Keep a list of the chemicals, location, name, volume.

 

Have a plan to deal with emergencies and fires.

 

 

The first responders seemed dedicated, able, willing to do whatever was asked. But they seemed to be flying blind with regards to the actual situation and threat.

 

I watched a fair amount of live streamed coverage in the evening.

 

 

[metisdead]

A troll post with nothing other than a trolling image has been removed.  

[Kwaibill]

On 7/5/2021 at 12:55 PM, Bangkokhatter said:

Good to hear you are safe, do you know if the hotel is accepting bookings ?

Sorry I didn't follow through yesterday!

Yes, it appepars Novotel is booking.

[johng]

7 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Let's hope there is a plan going forward.

 

I watched a bit yesterday  and one of the "officials" interviewed said that  there is a problem with recently enabled planning laws   which enable these sorts of  industries to remain in highly built up  residential areas..from what I understand   before the  factory licence would  be reviewed every few years taking account or  changes in population density  but now the factories are "grandfathered" in

making it "very difficult" to move them away to safer areas.

[mtls2005]

Back on fire, with some explosions and column of smoke.

 

This one may be the gift that keeps on giving. There was a landfill in Samut Prakan which burned for a few years.

 

Imagining thousands of liters of this chemical leached into the soil then moving along the aquifer and into the water supply.

 

Local homeowners must be thrilled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kwaibill]

38 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Back on fire, with some explosions and column of smoke.

 

This one may be the gift that keeps on giving. There was a landfill in Samut Prakan which burned for a few years.

 

Imagining thousands of liters of this chemical leached into the soil then moving along the aquifer and into the water supply.

 

Local homeowners must be thrilled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oy! Some neighbors and I just this afternoon nipped back to get a few things from our homes.

Good thing we planned on taking a little holiday the next few, what?

[Rohe60]

That stuff is pretty nasty, even when not on fire.

Here's link to a "Safe Handling Guide" for styrene monomer which also shows the dangers of it:
https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/files/6115/4453/7896/Styrene_HSE_brochure_EN_20181211.pdf

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Rohe60

[sezze]

14 minutes ago, Rohe60 said:

That stuff is pretty nasty, even when not on fire.

Here's link to a "Safe Handling Guide" for styrene monomer which also shows the dangers of it:
https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/files/6115/4453/7896/Styrene_HSE_brochure_EN_20181211.pdf

 

No it isn't nasty , for people only working with oranges and potatoes yes , anything more then citric acid is dangerous ( even citric acid can be dangerous ) , but for people who work with chemicals or at a chemical plant , styrene is pretty ok . It does have a few properties which need to be taken care of , like fire , and you better not drink it also ( or inhale it all day ) , like with most chemicals around , but it isn't more dangerous then gasoline .

A 2000 m3 tank exploding is certainly pretty big , but i highly doubt that was the trigger , it is just the massive flames after.

ps i got 30+ y of experience as chemical process operator , of which 8y in polystyrene plant .

[mtls2005]

Another factory fire in Lat Krabang yesterday...

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40002905

[Bangkokhatter]

16 hours ago, Kwaibill said:

Sorry I didn't follow through yesterday!

Yes, it appepars Novotel is booking.

Thanks for the reply, ended going to a resort near Pattaya, going back to the house today to check on damage, although we are being told we cannot stay there.

[mtls2005]

Ming Dih Chemical, the Taiwanese-owned company whose plastic pallet factory outside of Bangkok burned down on Monday, expresses condolences for the  incident and will contribute in compensating for the damages that have occurred.

[katana]

16 hours ago, sezze said:

No it isn't nasty , for people only working with oranges and potatoes yes , anything more then citric acid is dangerous ( even citric acid can be dangerous ) , but for people who work with chemicals or at a chemical plant , styrene is pretty ok . It does have a few properties which need to be taken care of , like fire , and you better not drink it also ( or inhale it all day ) , like with most chemicals around , but it isn't more dangerous then gasoline .

A 2000 m3 tank exploding is certainly pretty big , but i highly doubt that was the trigger , it is just the massive flames after.

ps i got 30+ y of experience as chemical process operator , of which 8y in polystyrene plant .

Are you sure about that?

 

Styrene vapour leak in India kills 12 (07 May 2020)
Hundreds of locals hospitalised and evacuated to escape discharge from LG Polymers plant
An early morning toxic gas leak from a chemical factory outside Vishakhapatnam city in the eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh killed 12 people and hospitalised some 800 on 7 May. Nearly 1200 others had to be evacuated from nearby villages.
Continued: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/styrene-vapour-leak-in-india-kills-12/4011712.article

 

Visakhapatnam gas leak (07 May 2020)
Hundreds of people were rushed to hospitals following widespread breathing difficulties and sensations of burning eyes.[12] Many had been found lying on the ground, unconscious as a result of gas exposure. The initial estimate noted at least 11 deaths and 20–25 people in critical condition.[22] By the next day, the death toll had risen to thirteen.[23] More than 1,000 people were reportedly exposed to the gas.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakhapatnam_gas_leak

 

[sezze]

6 hours ago, katana said:

Are you sure about that?

 

Styrene vapour leak in India kills 12 (07 May 2020)
Hundreds of locals hospitalised and evacuated to escape discharge from LG Polymers plant
An early morning toxic gas leak from a chemical factory outside Vishakhapatnam city in the eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh killed 12 people and hospitalised some 800 on 7 May. Nearly 1200 others had to be evacuated from nearby villages.
Continued: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/styrene-vapour-leak-in-india-kills-12/4011712.article

 

Visakhapatnam gas leak (07 May 2020)
Hundreds of people were rushed to hospitals following widespread breathing difficulties and sensations of burning eyes.[12] Many had been found lying on the ground, unconscious as a result of gas exposure. The initial estimate noted at least 11 deaths and 20–25 people in critical condition.[22] By the next day, the death toll had risen to thirteen.[23] More than 1,000 people were reportedly exposed to the gas.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visakhapatnam_gas_leak

 

Yes i am sure about it , since i have worked in polystyrene production plant , making poly from monostyrene , for 8y . Now i am working with far more dangerous chemicals in production plant , for 23y .

People do not know what it means to work in a chemical company . It can be dangerous , just like steam which is just hot water , it kills many persons each year . It doesn't mean that hot water is nasty stuff , it can be dangerous , due to the situation . Styrene is ok , since pressures in a production plant are low ( <20bar ) and the chemicals used aren't particular dangerous by itself . Even inhaling quite a lot , won't do long term damage if you do get out . It is not recommended to do so , but accidents happen . Safety regulations aren't everywhere the same, so working in a chem plant in Asia is surely a lot more dangerous then in Europe , but that does not make the chemical a nasty chemical . Yes it is highly flammable , and you can't drink it or inhale it ( on daily basis/large amount ) but it is roughly the same like White Spirit or gasoline .