Authorities struggle to control fire at chemical warehouse in Rayong

A fire broke out at an industrial waste and chemical warehouse belonging to the Win Process Company in the eastern province of Rayong at 8.30am yesterday. The Thai authorities have been working for over 20 hours to extinguish the fire and are struggling to fully control it due to flammable chemical substances.

Residents living near the warehouse in the Ban Khai district of Rayong had to evacuate for their safety. The fire produced thick black plumes of smoke that covered the residential area and emitted chemical odours from various substances stored in the warehouse.

The fire started in a Win Process company warehouse and then spread to another, causing multiple explosions.

According to Thai PBS, firefighters found it challenging to put out the fire using water alone because of the chemicals present. They had to use a fire suppressant called aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) along with water to prevent the fire from spreading any further.

Rayong province Deputy Governor Kanchai Thepworrachai told the Prachachart news platform that the Thai authorities were still unable to fully control the fire despite more than 20 hours of operation.

However, they have managed to contain it within a limited area. Firefighters are still spraying water to prevent the fire from spreading any further.

Kanchai anticipates that the situation will be under control by the end of today, and investigations into the cause of the fire will begin tomorrow.

Kanchai added that the province plans to declare the affected area a disaster zone, including the Bangbuth and Nong Bua sub-districts. Locals in these two areas were evacuated to temporary shelters, while some chose to stay with their relatives.

The Win Process company was involved in the separation and disposal of chemical and industrial waste. According to MGR Online, the company faced a lawsuit from 15 locals for health effects caused by its operations.

The Rayong Provincial Court ordered the company to compensate the affected individuals with more than 20 million baht on December 13, 2022. The company operation was suspended, and the chemical substances in the warehouses were abandoned without proper management, leading to the fire.