SUPHAN BURI - The owner of an illegal fireworks factory that exploded on Thursay night killing six Myanmar employees has been identified and will be summonsed and charged, police said on Friday.
The fatal blast occurred around 9pm near Khlong 19 in tambon Plabplachai, U Thong district police said.
Police, soldiers and rescue workers who rushed to the scene found debris from the wrecked house and human body parts scattered over the area. They said the victims were four men and two women from Myanmar.
Many small, unexploded fireworks were also scattered through the debris.
Identification documents had been found for the six Myanmar workers who were killed. Only three of the victims' remains could be properly identified. All had work permits, Pol Col Chaiwat Thippayachan, deputy chief of Suphan Buri police, said.
The owner of the illegal fireworks factory had been identified. The Suphan Buri resident would be summonsed for questioning and charges of would be pressed, including illegally producing pyrotechnics, INN reported.
Pol Maj Gen Passornwin Pongpipattarapakhin, chief of Suphan Buri police, said there had been previous explosions at covert fireworks factories like this in the province.
People who ran this type of business often hired migrant workers to assemble the fireworks, and frequently shifted location to avoid detection.
It was clear the house that exploded was being used as a fireworks factory, he said.
The land and premises were owned by a retired army officer and were rented out to someone who later used it as a factory for assembling fireworks, said Pol Maj Gen Passornwin.
Authorities were contacting the Myanmar embassy for help in notifying the relatives of the victims.