Level 2 Emergency Declared After Chemical Storage Tank Fire

RAYONG, May 9 (TNA) - A Level 2 emergency has been declared in Rayong province after a chemical storage tank fire at the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate.
The fire, which broke out at 10:30 AM at a pyrolysis gasoline tank owned by Map Ta Phut Tank Terminal Co., Ltd., has caused thick black smoke to billow into the sky. Four people have been injured in the incident.
"We have ordered the evacuation of all personnel and businesses from the industrial estate," said Veeris Ammarapala, Governor of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT). "The fire is still ongoing, and there is a risk of it spreading."
The Rayong provincial administration has also declared a Level 2 emergency, meaning that all residents in the vicinity of the fire should evacuate immediately.
Emergency crews are on the scene battling the blaze, and firefighters are working to prevent it from spreading to other storage tanks. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The company has issued a statement saying that it immediately mobilized a team to control the situation in accordance with its emergency response plan. They apologized for the incident and said that safety of the community and the environment is their top priority.
The IEAT has ordered the company to temporarily suspend some of its operations. The authority is also investigating the cause of the fire, assessing the damage, and providing full assistance. -819 (TNA)