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| Continuous Blasts Rock Central Thailand |
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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) |
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