BANGKOK: A massive fire that engulfed a tire plant in Thailand’s eastern industrial estate caused about $40 million in losses for one of China’s largest tire exporters, officials said Monday.
The fire, which started Sunday night and took more than seven hours to control, destroyed six out of 15 warehouses in the Linglong International Tire compound in Sriricha district in Chonburi province, part of Thailand’s eastern seaboard, said Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand Governor Verapong Chaiperm.
He said the cause of the blaze was not immediately known as police were waiting for plumes of smoke to die down before investigating the scene.
Verapong said no casualties were reported, but the fire forced the company to shut the plant for two days.
Linglong is one of China’s biggest tire makers and exporters. The plant was the company’s first factory outside of China and started producing tires for cars and light trucks early last year.
The area around Chonburi, 115 kilometers (70 miles) southeast of Bangkok, hosts many of Thailand’s heavy industries, which are serviced by port facilities on the Gulf of Thailand. -AP