Map Ta Phut fire: Company hero’s selfless act ends in tragic death

A selfless act of bravery by a 36 year old company employee attempting to close a valve on a tank moments before a gasoline explosion has tragically cost him his life. The incident occurred during a fire at the Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal in the town of Map Ta Phut, Rayong province, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. Firefighters battled the blaze for over eight hours.

The tragic explosion was the result of maintenance work on a tank containing solvents. Four employees had ascended to measure the level of a chemical known as Cynoplus, only to be met with an explosion following the emergence of smoke. Fire & Rescue Thailand paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the deceased, identified as Nopporn Ruammah, through a recent social media post.

“We express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who died in the fire at the facility that stores starting materials for oil and petrochemical products at Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Co., Ltd., inside the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.”

Kalchai Thepwarachai, Deputy Governor of Rayong, together with Kanphos Khunthong, Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, Athaya Nualutai, responsible for disaster prevention and mitigation in Rayong, and Tharmsak Sethaudom, CEO of SCG, Cement Thai Holdings Co., Ltd., and executives from Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Co., Ltd., held a press conference at the Map Ta Phut Municipal Emergency Command Center to address the chemical tank explosion and fire.

The incident, which occurred around 10.45am, yesterday, May 9, saw four employees ascend to inspect the tank, which held 8,000 cubic metres of Cynoplus. The cause of the explosion remains unknown, but the incident resulted in one employee losing his life due to the fire, with three others injured.

Two firefighters were also injured while responding to the emergency. The fire, initially extinguished around noon, reignited around 1pm due to residual heat in the tanks. It was finally brought under control by 6pm.

Company investigation

Tharmsak Sethaudom reassured the public that the temperature of the chemical tanks is being monitored hourly to prevent reignition. He expressed the company’s regret and commitment to thoroughly investigating the cause while ensuring the safety of the community.

The company is determined to support the victim’s family, pledging to finance the education of the deceased’s children through to degree level and to cover all medical expenses for the injured employees and firefighters.

Residents who were evacuated to the Map Ta Phut Panpit School shelter have begun returning to their homes following the confirmation of the fire’s extinguishment. Athaya Nualutai has announced that the areas of Nong Fab, Ta Kuan, and Ao Pradu have been declared disaster-affected zones to facilitate emergency response and aid to the citizens.