Unlicensed Fireworks Factory Blast Kills 10

SUPHAN BURI, July 7 (TNA) – An explosion at an unlicensed fireworks factory in Suphan Buri province on Wednesday killed at least 10 people and injured one, authorities said.

CCTV showed a powerful blast around 10:59 AM at a house in Mueang district. Nine died at the scene, with one more succumbing to injuries at a hospital, bringing fatalities to 10. The explosion damaged two houses and a vehicle. Investigations confirmed no license for fireworks production and suggested the site was secretly manufacturing bird-scaring fireworks.

Authorities have established an operations center at a nearby temple to assist affected residents. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit has been deployed to collect gunpowder after two large black craters and a quantity of gunpowder were discovered at the site.

Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai ordered a thorough investigation into the illegal operation to determine responsibility, noting that this was not the first such incident in the area.

Suphan Buri has a history of such incidents; from August 2006 to January 2024, eight separate explosions in Mueang district resulted in 31 deaths and 15 injuries. -819 (TNA)