KALASIN: A bedding factory in Yang Talat district of this northeastern province was destroyed by a fire that broke out around midnight and raged into the small hours on Monday.
The 15 x 20 metres factory at Ban Non Tum in tambon Nong Tak Paen housed machinery and materials for the production of bedding. It was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
Stored and highly inflammable production materials such as cloth, plastic sheets and plastic resin defied fire fighters' efforts to put out the blaze, which was fanned by a strong wind.
After about an hour, the entire factory structure collapsed. All the machinery and production materials were destroyed by the fire.
There were no casualties. There were about eight workers inside at the time and they all ran outside to safety. The workers said they heard a loud explosion at a machine before the fire erupted.
Police were investigating. The damage had yet to be assessed.