Explosion at Thailand fireworks warehouse kills at least 12 people
By Kocha Olarn and Teele Rebane, CNN
(CNN) — At least 12 people were killed and 121 injured in an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand.
The incident – in the village of Mu No – reduced the warehouse and surrounding area to rubble, drone footage showed.
At least two of the victims were children, including a four-year-old boy and a eight-month-old baby girl, according to state run Radio Thailand.
Over a hundred houses were also damaged.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation but initial reports suggested there had been a welding error.
Police plan to charge the owner of the warehouse with a criminal offense for “causing the explosion and resulting in people’s deaths and injuries and property damage,” Narathiwat Provincial Police Commander Anuruth Imarb said in a press conference on Sunday.
“I have nothing left,” said Samsueya Chuenchompoo, whose house was destroyed, according to the AFP news agency.
“I don’t even have a roof over my head now. When there was a flood, I still could survive but now I really have nothing left.”
Fireworks accidents are not uncommon in Thailand. Several people were reportedly injured in another blast in the northern city of Chiang Mai earlier this week.
The-CNN-Wire
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Kocha Olarn reported from Bangkok and Teele Rebane wrote in Hong Kong.
