Fatalities after firecrackers explode at Thai warehouse
STORY: At least a dozen people were killed and over a hundred injured when firecrackers kept in a warehouse exploded in southern Thailand, an official said on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the border town of Su-ngai Kolok in Narathiwat province.
According to Narathiwat's governor, the incident took place on Saturday when the firecrackers set off a fire in an unauthorized warehouse at the Muno market.
The unauthorized warehouse blaze also damaged more than 200 nearby houses, affecting more than 350 people.
An unidentified local resident was selling fish when the explosion happened and is still in shock.
“It went on for an hour before the explosion stopped.
"It was chaotic. We stuck to each other here and there. We didn’t know what to do.”
Some have sought refuge at local shelters, with some staying there as they wait to return to their homes.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the tragedy, with initial reports pointing to a welding error at the warehouse.
