Three people died in an explosion at a homemade fertilizer factory in Thailand on Tuesday. The workers were mixing chemicals to make a flowering agent for their boss’s longan tree orchard in Chiang Mai province. Unfortunately, the chemicals ignited, causing a massive blast that destroyed the one-story factory.
Police Colonel Phongthasat Charoenpreechayapong, superintendent of the Phrao Police Station, received a report about the incident at 3:30 pm. When authorities arrived at the scene, they found the factory completely obliterated, with only its frame remaining. Two women, identified as Burmese worker Daeng and Thai woman Natchaya Sunanta, were killed in the explosion. Daeng was buried in the wreckage, while Natchaya was flung onto a nearby tree in the longan orchard. Another worker, a 34-year-old Burmese man named Aung, suffered severe burns and was rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he later succumbed to his injuries.
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The owner of the orchard, whose name was not disclosed, revealed that the workers had been mixing bags of potassium chlorate and urea when the explosion occurred. Potassium chlorate is a substance commonly used in the production of fireworks and explosives. Police Colonel Phongthasat stated that the accident was likely caused by the workers’ lack of knowledge about the chemicals they were handling.
The orchard owner now faces three charges: possessing dangerous chemicals without authorization, causing serious injury or death to others, and employing foreign workers without permission. Authorities explained that potassium chlorate is frequently used by longan farmers to stimulate growth. This incident is not the first involving this chemical, as a similar explosion occurred in the San Pa Tong district of Chiang Mai in 1999.
The tragic event serves as a reminder of the importance of proper handling and understanding of potentially hazardous substances. The authorities are likely to investigate further to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
