Huge fire at a chemical storage tank in Thailand kills one and injures 4

BANGKOK (AP) — At least one person was killed and four others were injured after a huge fire broke out at a chemical storage tank in an Eastern Thailand industrial park on Thursday.

The fire in Mab Ta Phut Industrial Estate, which was first reported in the morning, was contained more than six hours later. Fire workers estimated it might take more than 10 hours to be able to fully extinguish the flames, according to the Rayong province’s public relations department.

About 400 workers and residents have been evacuated to a temporary shelter, the department said.

Officials said the tank, which has a storage capacity of 2,500 cubic meters, belongs to the Mab Ta Phut Tank Terminal company, which operates a commercial port and storage terminal for petrochemical products. They said the tank contained Pyrolysis gasoline, a mixture of chemicals commonly used in gasoline blending.