A fierce blaze ripped through a recycling factory in Pattaya yesterday, leaving nothing but twisted metal and charred debris.
The inferno erupted at the Banjong Recycling Factory in Village 4, Takhian Tia subdistrict, Bang Lamung district yesterday, August 18, with fireballs lighting up the sky and smoke billowing for kilometres. The cause? A suspected electrical short circuit—though forensic teams are now combing through the remains to confirm the source.
The fire broke out suddenly and spread rapidly, according to 45 year old factory owner Athit Chaboonmee. Athit told The Pattaya News that electrical power had been flickering on and off before flames exploded from the centre of the plant.
“My father, Banjong, saw the fire erupt in the middle of the facility and shouted for help. We tried to put it out, but it was just too fast.”
Emergency services, led by Takhian Tia Mayor Mitchai Prakobtham, along with Bang Lamung Police, nearby municipal teams and the Sawang Boriboon Foundation, responded swiftly. Firefighters fought the blaze for over 30 minutes before finally bringing it under control, The Pattaya News reports.
Despite the dramatic scenes and destruction of the facility, no injuries were reported.
Mayor Mitchai expressed relief that no one was harmed, but warned others in the area to take fire prevention more seriously.
“We urge all recycling and second-hand goods operators to prioritise fire suppression systems and regular safety checks. This could have been much worse.”
The factory, a vital hub for local recycling operations, has been destroyed, with no machinery or materials salvageable.
Investigators are continuing their probe into what triggered the blaze, though the initial signs point to sparks igniting flammable fabric scraps inside the plant.
In a similar incident, a fire erupted at a plastic recycling factory in Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao province at 1pm on August 12, raising fears it could spread to nearby homes. The incident occurred at P.C. Plastic, located in Village 15 of the Bang Pakong subdistrict.
The story Massive blaze reduces Pattaya recycling plant to ashes as seen on Thaiger News.
