Up in smoke: Nakhon Pathom paper factory fire burns 10m baht
A fire engulfed a paper manufacturing factory today in Nakhon Pathom’s Don Tum district, causing an estimated 10 million baht (US$297,315) in damage. The fire, which started at 3.30am, today, March 19, took more than three hours to control due to the factory’s complex structure and limited access.
Police Lieutenant Pratheuang Lueangararm, an investigator at Don Tum Police Station, received the report of the fire at the warehouse located in Moo 3, Baan Luang subdistrict.
Over 20 firefighting vehicles from the area and neighbouring districts were dispatched to tackle the blaze at the large warehouse, which spanned more than 20 rai and consisted of three sections covering over 5 rai.
The building’s steel framework, concrete walls, and metal sheet roofing limited access, allowing only a single entry and exit point, making it difficult for fire engines to operate around the site.
Firefighters had to employ a strategic approach, deploying one vehicle inside to pump water from others and extinguish the fire, which required constant coordination. This process was hindered by the building’s collapse and structural instability. The building’s side walls had started to collapse, posing a risk to the firefighters.
According to the firefighters, they scouted the area for water sources and used water from nearby agricultural land. They coordinated with locals to access this water.
The affected warehouse contained a workers’ dormitory, from which everyone evacuated safely, and a storage area for finished paper products, the quantity of which remains unknown.
A significant challenge for the firefighting team was the absence of the factory’s owner or manager, who could provide essential structural details. The workers present were foreign and did not speak Thai, while the owner, believed to be Taiwanese, was also unable to communicate in Thai.
Village headman Plakrit Senanang stated that the fire began around 3am and the building had started to collapse after two and a half hours, preventing firefighters from entering. Firefighters had to spray water from both the front and rear of the building, a process that required several hours.
Police have yet to identify the owner of the factory, though a man named Somchai, residing in Bangkok, claimed ownership and planned to visit the site in the morning.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, pending further investigation by forensic officers. The financial damage is significant, as the warehouse contained a large quantity of finished paper products, reported KhaoSod.
By 8am, additional firefighting units from various local municipalities, including Sam Ngam, Huai Phlu, Bang Len, and Nakhon Pathom City, along with rescue foundations and volunteers, had arrived to help. The fire was eventually brought under control, and fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
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