Fire devastates Rayong paper factory, efforts to control blaze ongoing
A raging fire engulfed a recycling paper factory in Rayong, with officials struggling to bring it under control. Despite ongoing efforts by emergency services, the blaze spreads, threatening the factory and surrounding areas.
The incident began when flames erupted at approximately 2.30pm, yesterday, December 11, at a paper factory located along the Ban Khai-Ban Bueng road in Nong Bua, Ban Khai district, Rayong province.
The fire was reported to Apichat Konetsuwan, a senior police investigator at the Nong Krub Police Station, who immediately coordinated with local disaster relief teams and the Sawang Prakarn Kusol Foundation to combat the blaze.
Workers inside the factory fled in panic as the fire spread rapidly through the premises. Initial attempts to control the fire managed to contain it to a limited area, but continuous water spraying was necessary to prevent further outbreaks. Preliminary evaluations estimate the damage to run into millions of baht.
By the evening, around 7.30pm, the situation had worsened. The fire ignited a large stack of paper that towered overhead in an open space adjacent to the factory. In response, over 30 fire trucks from multiple areas were dispatched to the scene to attempt to control the spreading inferno.
The flames continue to consume stacks of paper, leaving firefighters with no choice but to douse the unaffected areas with water. However, their efforts have not fully extinguished the fire, threatening to spread further.
Concerns are rising among the officials about the fire’s potential to spread beyond the factory grounds, especially if wind conditions shift and carry embers towards other buildings. To prevent this, three backhoe vehicles have been deployed to dig trenches, creating firebreaks to protect adjacent areas from the advancing flames, reported KhaoSod.
Forecasts suggest that it will be some time before the fire is brought under control. Despite the severity of the situation, there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities.
