Fire rages, mass evacuation after Thai factory blast

Thousands of people on the outskirts of Thailand’s capital were being evacuated on Monday as firefighters battled blazes for hours after a factory explosion that killed a rescue worker and wounded 29 people, officials said.

Disaster authorities said 70 houses were damaged and fires were still being fought 15 hours after the explosion in Samut Prakan province in the early hours of Monday.

The cause of the blast at the Taiwanese-owned factory had yet to be determined. The nearby Suvarnabhumi international airport, Thailand’s main gateway, said its operations were not affected. Samut Prakan residents living within five kilometers (3.1 miles) of the factory were being moved away as a precaution.