BANGKOK, Thailand – A devastating explosion occurred at a fireworks factory in central Thailand, claiming the lives of at least 15 people, according to a rescue worker. The exact death toll was not immediately clear, but Kritsada Manee-In, a rescue worker with the Samerkun Suphan Buri Rescue Foundation, estimated that around 15 to 17 people had been killed. Local media offered varying death tolls.

Photos posted online by local rescue workers in Suphan Buri province showed the site, in an otherwise unoccupied rice field, leveled flat aside from debris and body parts. The cause of the blast was not immediately clear, but it came less than a month before Chinese New Year in February, a time when demand for fireworks is strong.

Last July, a similar tragedy struck southern Thailand when a large explosion at a fireworks warehouse killed at least 10 people and wounded more than 100, officials reported. The explosion in Narathiwat province occurred in a residential area, damaging about 100 houses within a radius of about 500 meters (1,640 feet), according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

The Narathiwat governor stated that the blast was likely ignited by construction work that was taking place in the warehouse, with sparks from metal welding causing the fireworks stored inside to catch fire and explode. This recent incident once again highlights the serious safety concerns surrounding the production and storage of fireworks, particularly in densely populated areas. These tragic events serve as a reminder of the need for strict regulations and safety measures in handling explosive materials.