Continuous explosions on Tuesday night blew down one of the
weapon warehouses in Thai central province of Lop Buri, while local
residents living around have already been evacuated safely from the
area.
A source of Xinhua said the continuous blasts occurred near the
air force central of the Royal Thai Army, where a big army depot
was located, at about 8:30 PM (13:30 GMT) and ended at about 9:00
PM (14:00 GMT).
The source said the Lop Buri depot and another one in Nakhon
Ratchasima Province are the two biggest of the Thai army.
An official from weapon department of the Thai Army told Xinhua
that at least one of the some 20 warehouses in the Lop Buri weapon
base was totally damaged.
The official, who asked not to be named, said the warehouse was
filled with explosives, not only the reported bullets.
Lop Buri province is the Thai Army's main military base in
central Thailand which both armored force and tank battalion are
quartered at.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Theerawat Boonyapradab, commander of the
army's ordnance department, said that bomb disposal squads were
sent into the depot to stop the blasts.
"As of now, there is not known yet what caused the explosions.
The depot is used to stock several kinds of ammunitions and
explosives and it was constructed properly and meet the standard,"
said Theerawat.
Witnesses said the blasts have lightened the night sky and
flames could be seen from 5 kilometers away.
Lop Buri authorities have deployed many fire fighters to the
areas to put out fire that engulfed the arsenal.
Until 10:00 PM (15:00 GMT), explosions and fires were put under
control, the military said. No one was reported killed or injured
in the explosions.
Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal
Thai Army, said the explosions were caused by hot weather. But some
local officials said the reason should be concluded after more
investigations.
In 1980, an blast in an army depot in Bangkok's Bang Sue
district killed some 40 people. In October 2001, fire at an army
arsenal in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district killed seven
people.
(Xinhua News Agency April 25, 2007)
