BANGKOK — Firefighters spent hours battling a huge fire that tore through a large factory Wednesday afternoon in the capital’s northeast.
Police said the blaze broke out just past noon at a broom factory in Chok Chai 4 Road in Lat Phrao district. More than 10 fire trucks responded to the call but were only able to control the fast-moving fire more than 3 hours later, when it had already damaged 6 other nearby buildings.
There’s no confirmed report of casualties. Some volunteer firefighters however reportedly passed out from inhaling smoke while combating the fire.
Witnesses told investigators renovation work was underway at the 60-year-old factory when sparks from a welding torch fell onto a pile of flammable trash and wooden chips. From there, the fire quickly spread.
The cost of damages has yet to be estimated. The Lat Phrao district chief said the administration will investigate whether the factory has been operating legally, and promised to compensate affected residents.