Fireworks factory peril

The fatal explosion at a house which doubled illegally as a fireworks plant in Suphan Buri on Wednesday is an ominous sign, reminding us that communities are not safe from this risky activity.

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The explosion at the Muang district factory killed nine people. In January last year, in the same district, another fireworks factory blast claimed 23 lives and left scores injured.

An earlier fatal accident took place at the same factory in November 2022, in which one person died. Nine years ago, once again in Suphan Buri, six people died in a blast at a house that was illegally producing fireworks.

Suphan Buri is an extreme case, but it is not the only one. Reports of accidents in other areas have also emerged. One glaring example was on July 30, 2023, when 12 residents were killed and 389 people injured in an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in the Muno market community in Sungai Kolok district of Narathiwat.