At 10:30 on 9 May 2024, it is reported there is a fire in an oil storage tank, within the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. Local evacuations underway.

 

 

Tank is reported to contain Pyrolysis gasoline or Pygas, which is a naphtha-range product. UN3295

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

Currently being reported there are least 3 injuries.

 

Each tank has its own fire extinguishing system and around the bunds there is a water cooling system to prevent heat/fire spread. 

 

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

12.50, reported that the fire has been contained, using fixed firefighting protection systems, installed at the tanks.

 

Inspection ongoing to check fire is fully extinguished and extent of damage.

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

 

13.00, reported re-ignition of the tank and the fire is burning again, at Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Company Limited in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Rayong.

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

 

11 minutes ago, Jai Dee said:

 

The update you posted above, also refers to an explosion in a naphtha storage tank at Map Ta Phut Industrial Port in 2021 that caused 3 deaths and 2 serious injuries, which occurred when the tank was being clean. That tank was very close to this incident, see picture below.

Update report at 13.40 states the situation is currently deemed very serious, and fixed systems are struggling to contain.

 

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

Horrible. It is rapidly expanding now. Flames are same height as the Coal Power Plant Chimney (90m+)

It is getting more intense by the minute, i can see from my bedroom window!! It is dangerously close to two gas spheres!

Yep, watching this from my office window. Has expanded and increased a lot within the last 20 minutes. Maptaphut surrounding company sites have been evacuated already according to local news, just hoping fire fighters can get this under control within next couple hours..

I would hope that responders can contain the fire to the tank of origin.

 

These tanks seem to meet the required separation and provided the fixed fire protection systems have not been damaged, effective cooling should prevent horizontal fire/heat spread.

 

It is a fixed roof tank, so getting to the burning surface of the fire is difficult, but the tanks appear to have fixed firefighting injection systems installed.

 

The company should be trying to empty as much of the fuel from the tank, that is safely possible, hence reducing the amount of fuel available to burn.

 

Another hazard is the possible structure collapse of the tank walls and filling the containment bunds with burning fuel.

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

Getting very intense now and the smoke is heading straight for us in Ban Chang!!

11 minutes ago, huangnon said:

Yep, watching this from my office window. Has expanded and increased a lot within the last 20 minutes. Maptaphut surrounding company sites have been evacuated already according to local news, just hoping fire fighters can get this under control within next couple hours..

Evacuation distance for these tanks should be 800 m, but the responders have probably doubled that, as a safety margin, given additional surrounding hazards.

 

Think the fire teams will be happy to contain this to the original tank until it has burnt off all the fuel in that tank.

The tank has split now and fire is burning out of control on the ground, more evacuations happening now!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/455699323778354

Just now, LennyW said:

Getting very intense now and the smoke is heading straight for us in Ban Chang!!

This is the smoke travel direction from the fire, from the Environmental Monitoring and Control Centre.

4 minutes ago, LennyW said:

The tank has split now and fire is burning out of control on the ground, more evacuations happening now!

I would hope that the containment bund will take the amount leaking. The tank is in its own bund area, so responders can now attack the burning surface of the fuel.

 

Providing enough responders and equipment are in place, they should still prevent this spreading to other tanks, especially the gas spheres.

14.10: Rayong Provincial Government has declaration of state of emergency level 2 for Nong Fab community, and Takuan-Ao Pradu community.

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

Seen from the public beach area.

 

 

Live feed from the beach area.

 

https://fb.watch/rYg7AK3qlk/?

36 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

This is the smoke travel direction from the fire, from the Environmental Monitoring and Control Centre.

That was this morning, now directly across Ban Chang.

4 minutes ago, LennyW said:

That was this morning, now directly across Ban Chang.

Thank you for the update., had seen no update from EMCC.

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

 
Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Company Limited has issued a statement.
 

“At approximately 10:45 a.m., there was smoke at the pyrolysis gas storage tank of Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Company Limited, which is located at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Port. Rayong Province Company A team was mobilized to control the situation immediately after the incident according to the emergency response plan. By separating the system and stop various activities within the factory according to safety procedures. Currently, the preliminary cause is being discovered. We were informed that 4 people were injured and were taken to the hospital and are under medical care. This incident had no impact on the community or environment. Pyrolysis gasoline is a substance that may affect health at a low level. The company apologies  for the incident.”

 

Local villagers who work at the company, suggested that this was a period of shutdown to clean the  chemical storage tanks and it is believed that there was an accident that caused an explosion.

 

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

This picture at 15.45, shows a reduction in flames, so it would appear responders may have contained the fire within the bund area.

 

The change in smoke colour would also suggest that extinguishing efforts are currently working.

 

Edited May 9, 20242 yr by Georgealbert

Now being reported that there was 1 death.

 

Rayong Provincial statement.

 

“Declaration of state of emergency level 2 provinces, for people of Nong Fab community, Takuan-Ao Pradu community, to be evacuated to the Rayong Provincial Government Centre and Map Ta Phut Phan Pittayakhan School.

The last group of employees have been evacuated from the estate.

The wind changed direction from the northwest, and is now come to the northeast. Safe evacuation distance should be 10 km away from the fire area.

Please avoid the following routes.

1. Sukhumvit Road
2. Route into the Lao market
3. Pakorn Songkha route
4. Lines from Nong Faeb
5. Suchada Beach Road

Four people were injured and one person died.”

.

Wind direction:

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=12.675;101.183;11&l=temperature-2m

2 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

Wind direction:

https://www.ventusky.com/?p=12.675;101.183;11&l=temperature-2m

Thank you.

 

Responders were getting updates, from EMCC earlier, but I have not seen any recent mapping. It also appears now, that under the declared state of emergency, that a 10 km, in all directions, evacuation zone is trying to be achieved, but the fire will be out long before they can enforce that over such a large area.

 

http://www.envimtp.com/

Video from earlier this afternoon, showing local response teams and DDPM, working to contain the fire.