Two elderly women were killed and 28 other people were injured when a gas pipe of PTT Public Company Limited exploded in Bang Bo district here on Thursday afternoon.
People were seen running out of houses localted near the site, with some of the houses seen ablaze. Deputy Governor of the region Chaipoj Charoonpong confirmed their names and ages of the two bedridden women who died as Mali Boonman, 81, and Lamai Harnhiran, 82, Bangkok Post reported.
An operations centre is being set up at Wat Preng Rat Bamrung, a temple in the area, to provide assistance to the affected people, the Governor added.
The explosion damaged four houses completely as well as roofs of half a dozen other houses were also destroyed.
According to Police Spokesman Pol Maj Gen Yingyos Thepchamnong, the gas pipe exploded on 200 Years Road, opposite Preng police station.
As per Bangkok Post, Senior Executive Vice President of PTT's gas business unit Wutthikorn Stithit confirmed that the explosion was from a PTT gas pipe leading to the Asia Industrial Estate Suvaranabhumi. A PTT press statement said that the explosion occurred after natural gas leaked from the pipe and caught fire at about 12.55pm.
The fire was brought under control only by late afternoon.
( With inputs from ANI )
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