Two people are missing and five others suffered minor injuries after a powerful explosion believed to have been caused by a chemical compound at a house in Chiang Mai’s Doi Tao district on Wednesday evening.
Photos by Cheewin Sattha
The blast entirely destroyed a large two-story house in Moo 2 village in tambon Doi Tao. Police said stored in the house was a large amount of highly volatile potassium chlorate used to encourage flowering and fruiting in longan trees. The identities of the five injured and two missing individuals are not yet available.
The explosion also destroyed nine other houses and two cars in the area. Forensic police will inspect the scene tomorrow.
Potassium chlorate, a white crystalline powder, is a chlorine-based compound used to facilitate growth, from flowering to fruit maturity, in longan trees. It is also used in explosives and firecrackers. A longan drying business operates out of the house where the blast took place, police said.
