9 Dead in Thai Fireworks Warehouse Blast

An enormous explosion that occurred on Saturday in southern Thailand, according to a senior official, tore through a warehouse of fireworks and destroyed or damaged numerous surrounding residences while killing nine people and wounding over 100 others.

Welding likely contributed to the catastrophe in Sungai Kolok, a Narathiwat border area, during the building's construction.

"A warehouse storing firecrackers in Sungai Kolok exploded this afternoon, the latest number is nine dead and 115 injured," Narathiwat governor Sanan Pongaksorn told.

"The fire is now under control. Preliminary investigation suggests the cause is a technical error during the steel welding process, as the building is under construction."

The explosion left a large region surrounding the plant in ruins. Several shops, homes, and automobiles were seen seriously damaged by the blast's impact, many of which had had their roofs blown off, as well as a sizable cloud of smoke rising into the air.

Although the figure could not be verified, the death toll was reportedly 10.

Up to 200 residences may have been damaged by the explosion in the border town close to the Malaysian border, according to the Ministry of Interior, which was quoted by The Bangkok Post. It's possible that up to 500 homes were destroyed, according to some reports.

"I was playing with my phone inside the house then suddenly I heard a loud, thunderous noise and my whole house shook," eyewitness Seksan Taesen, who lives 100 metres (110 yards) away from the warehouse, told.

"Then I saw my roof was wide open. I looked outside and I saw house collapsing and people lying on the ground everywhere. It was chaos."

The neighborhood market servicing the region near to the Malaysian border was in a state of confusion, as shown in Seksan's video, with panicked locals scurrying about and emergency services rushing to help.

Broken glass, roof tiles, and other garbage are scattered all over the ground. Several market stalls were completely destroyed or significantly damaged.

Explosions at pyrotechnics and firecracker manufacturing facilities are common in Thailand. A fireworks factory in the northern city of Chiang Mai is said to have erupted just five days prior to the tragic explosion on Saturday, inflicting 11 injuries.

The country of Southeast Asia also has a poor safety record in the construction sector, where deadly accidents are common.

Last month, a bridge being construction in Bangkok collapsed onto traffic, killing two people.