Thailand Boiler Blasts Kill Girl and Injure 17 by Phairath Khampha 18 February 2003 An eight-year-old girl was killed and 17 people were injured when illegally installed and operated three boilers exploded at a factory in Bang Phli district the morning of February 7, 2003. Rapiporn Chae-klang, a worker's eight-year-old daughter, died in hospital from severe injuries following the explosion at PP Express Co's factory in tambon (subdistrict) Bang Pla. The blast also left 17 workers injured and caused damage to workers' living quarters. Veera Maveechak, chief of the Industrial Works Department, said after inspecting the factory that the accident was caused by an overheated six-tonne boiler which exploded and caused two smaller ones to blow up as well. The factory would be closed pending an investigation since it had been illegally modified from a laundry shop into a jeans bleaching plant. The six-tonne boiler which exploded also was a second-hand one that had been installed illegally, Mr Veera said. The explosion blew out part of the factory's roof and walls. Its impact destroyed large objects 30 metres away. A factory wall collapsed onto a nearby dormitory for factory workers, killing 8-year-old Rapiporn Chakklang, a daughter of one of the workers. Her father, 28-year-old Niphon Chakklang, was critically injured in the explosion, at the PP Express Co's factory on Thepharak Road in Samut Prakan province's Bang Phli district. Two other seriously wounded workers were identified as Kamla Kluebsungnoen, 30, and Paitoon Yuirosong, 31. All three sustained multiple burns and wounds caused by flying pieces from the impact. They were put in intensive care. Among the other victims was a six-year-old boy. Sawai Rojanasuparerk, a senior Industry Ministry official in Samut Prakan, said the first boiler--weighing 10 tonnes and with a capacity to hold 10,000 litres of water--had been installed without permission and in a dangerous fashion. He said its safety valve malfunctioned and led to overheating and explosion. He said a police complaint had been filed against Somchai Rojpanit, managing director of the company, for illegal modification of the factory. Legal action would also be taken against company executives for recklessness leading to death and injury. Factory manager Amnuay Intarasmee said the boiler had been installed two weeks before and was on a test run. He said that at the time of the explosion there were more than 30 night-shift workers in the factory. He admitted that the factory owners had paid a big bribe to officials to ignore the installation of the boiler. Prasert Ritsomjit, an injured worker, said that there was a loud whistle from the boiler before the explosion. "Then vapour was all over the place. Dust and pieces from the building flew around. I lost my hearing for a brief period," he said. Thapabut Chomsevi, director-general of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, said the factory had failed to train any safety specialists, as required by law. Those responsible could face maximum jail terms of six months and fines of up to 20,000 baht (US$465), he said. Adul Iamtha, an official at the Bang Phli Social Security Office, said the agency would cover medical costs for the injured workers up to a maximum of 35,000 baht each, which was not much money considering the extent of the injuries suffered by some of the workers. The office would also pay compensation to the dead girl's family although it was not required by law to do so, he added. Samut Prakan Governor Sura-at Thongniramon said the provincial authorities would initially pay 2,000 baht (only US$46.70) in aid for the families of each victim and would co-host the dead girl's funeral.