Fruit depot goes bananas: Gas blast injures two in Phrae

An unexpected explosion at a fruit-keeping facility in Phrae province injured two people and caused significant damage. As police investigate the cause, questions arise about the use of gas in the ripening process.

Police officer Taksin Palajai received a report about the explosion at a fruit stall near the Na Phun Subdistrict Administration Organisation. The incident, last night, November 18, left two people injured. The explosion’s epicentre, a newly built fruit stall with a high metal roof, was severely damaged, scattering crates of mandarins across the floor and creating a large hole in the ceiling.

Emergency services swiftly transported the injured to Wang Chin Hospital. The owner suffered head injuries, while a worker experienced a ruptured eardrum. The investigation, led by officers Veerayut Arun and Suratchai Ubongkit, seeks to determine the explosion’s cause.

“The loud explosion occurred while having dinner,” a witness reported, highlighting the suddenness of the event.

The fruit stall, known for purchasing large quantities of mandarins, was preparing to sell them. However, the mandarins’ green skin needed ripening, prompting the use of solid gas, placed in 200 crates across 14 locations and covered with cloth, to enhance their colour for better market value, reported KhaoSod.

The explosion’s force damaged the area extensively, and the local forensic science division is now involved in the investigation.

In related news, tragedy struck when a 93 year old woman was engulfed in flames following a gas explosion in her kitchen, leading to her untimely death. The incident occurred on November 13 in a three-storey townhouse located in Soi Udomsuk, Huai Khwang district.

The police were alerted to the scene at 2pm, with Rakkiat Pathumwan, an investigation officer from Sutthisan police station, coordinating with the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, forensic officers, Ramathibodi Hospital’s on-call doctors, and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation. Upon arrival, they found significant fire damage in the kitchen area, particularly around a gas stove and a 15-kilogramme gas cylinder.