It is thought that the deadly fire at the Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal company, a part of the Siam Cement Group (SCG) in Rayong province on Thursday, was probably not connected to a similar event in 2021.
Thammasak Sethaudom, president of SCG, stated that the fire in October 2021 occurred while repairing a chemical holding tank and was the responsibility of a contractor.
That fire claimed the lives of two workers and left three others with severe burns, while the recent fire led to the death of one employee who, according to Thammasak, died from a significant fall.
He made these comments at a press conference last night, following an explosion in a pyrolysis gasoline storage tank that ignited a fire on Thursday morning, which has now been brought under control.
However, emergency teams are constantly spraying water and chemicals to prevent the fire from reigniting. Thammasak clarified that the fire was confined to only one tank, not three as previously reported.
An investigation will establish the cause of the fire, he said, and repairs to the damaged tank and buildings will take about two weeks.
He reassured the public that water contaminated with chemicals from the firefighting effort will not be discharged into nearby water sources, as the company has its own lagoons to contain it.
Evacuated individuals have been allowed to return home today. Provincial environmental officials will carry out regular tests on the water and air in and around the facility to ensure that they have not been contaminated.
In the meantime, Industry Minister Pimpatra Wichaikul, who visited the fire scene today, mentioned that she will convene a meeting with all concerned parties to discuss safety issues, after receiving a letter from an environmental group in Rayong urging a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire.
People evacuated during the fire have been allowed to return home today and environmental officials are to conduct routine tests on the water and air in and around the facility to ensure that they have not been polluted.
