Chemical fire clean-up will cost B70m

Authorities are still determining the amount of the economic damage at the Ayutthaya flame site.

Chemical fire clean-up will cost B70m
A substance warehouse in the Phachi city of Ayutthaya was visible stacked inside the middle bulk container before it caught fire on Wednesday. ( Photo: Ecological Alert and Recovery- Thailand )

The government estimated that the cost of handling harmful chemicals left behind by a warehouse fire in the Phachi city of Ayutthaya and by chemical contamination in the surrounding areas to as high as 70 million baht on Friday, according to the government.

Pimphattra Wichaikul, the chancellor of business, reported that pollution control officials were quickly identifying the toxins left after the inventory fire that broke out on Wednesday nights. They must separate partly burned substances from those that have been left in for later use.

She stated that the different chemical sorts would then be grouped based on how desperately needed they were treated. The demolition is anticipated to start in June and wrap up in October.

Local residents were urging officials to get rid of the remaining toxins from their neighborhoods as soon as possible, according to the secretary.

With a budget of just 6.9 million ringgit, the ministry may have to get more money from the government’s key finances, said Ms Pimphattra.

She stated that monetary compensation would later be sought from the storehouse owner, the chemicals ‘ distributors, and other parties involved.

She stated that the government would work with surveillance to investigate these incidents of suspected fire because the Ayuthaya fire appeared to be linked to a similar blaze at a chemistry warehouse in the Ban Khai area of Rayong.

She promised that those responsible for the situations may get brought to justice and held accountable for the prices of their actions.

Srettha Thavisin, the prime minister, stated that the incidents would need to be carefully investigated with the assistance of appropriate security organizations.

After about 30 hours of work to extinguish the flames, the storehouse fire in Ayutthaya was properly contained, according to provincial government Niwat Rungsakorn on Friday.

He claimed that the most recent assessment using a sensor attached to a aircraft flown above the site found no indications of steam or smoking.

He added that the checks will be repeated since needed to prevent new fires from igniting.

Preeyaporn Suwanaked, assistant chairman- general of the Pollution Control Department, said the incident destroyed two out of five buildings at the warehouse, where about 4, 000 tonnes of chemicals were stored.

She claimed that a Friday inspection revealed health-risky levels of chlorine and ammonia in the air. The department will continue to monitor the air and water quality in these and other nearby areas.