Sri Racha, Chonburi – December 30th, 2025
A large fire broke out early Tuesday morning at a recycling company in the Sri Racha district completely destroying a stockpile of wooden pallets and paper scraps spanning approximately one rai (about 0.16 hectares). The blaze also damaged a forklift and part of a sorting warehouse, but no injuries were reported.
The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m. at the facility located in Moo 3 in the Nong Kham sub-district. Firefighters from multiple municipalities, including Chonburi City, Laem Chabang, and Sri Racha, responded with four fire engines after receiving the alert from the disaster prevention unit.
Upon arrival, crews found intense flames engulfing a large pile of wooden pallets and waste paper in an open yard within the six-rai compound. The fire spread rapidly, consuming the entire one-rai stockpile before igniting a nearby forklift, which was completely destroyed, and partially damaging the exterior of a materials sorting warehouse.
Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly an hour before bringing it under control. The origin appeared to start from a small point at the edge of the pallet pile, quickly escalating due to the flammable materials.
The facility belongs to Mr. Somsak Kulawachai, also known as “Dan Sri Racha,” a former parliamentary candidate for the Thai Liberal Party (Seree Ruam Thai) in District 7 of Sri Racha.
Mr. Somsak told authorities that he was asleep at his home adjacent to the site around 5:00 a.m. when he was awakened by barking dogs and neighbors throwing stones at his roof to alert him. He rushed outside to find the pallets already ablaze and attempted to extinguish it himself before realizing the fire was too intense and calling for professional help.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the full extent of the damage has yet to be assessed. Police from Nong Kham Police Station, led by Deputy Investigator Pol. Lt. Thotsawat Phothisa, attended the scene to document evidence and will conduct further inquiries, including witness statements and a forensic examination.
Authorities confirmed no casualties from the incident. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause and any potential legal implications.
