Army denies, admits fire at weapons storage site
A large fire broke out yesterday at an Army weapons depot in Nakhon Sawan province. After initially denying the incident, Army officials later admitted there had been a fire but said it caused no explosions or casualties.
The incident was first reported before noon via HAM and CB radio frequencies, with operators calling for donations of blood for people wounded in an explosion. The depot, supervised by the Army's Ordnance Directorate, later issued a statement admitting that there had been a fire caused by phosphorus left in old wooden boxes.
Two Army fire engines were dispatched from a nearby unit reportedly put out the fire. Depot officials contacted by reporters said there were no injuries and refused to give any other details.
At 3.30 pm, Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the fire started when phosphorous in a number of old wooden boxes used to store weaponry and munitions, and which had been prepped for destruction, combusted after being exposed to direct sunlight when the boxes were scattered outdoors.
About 100 boxes were destroyed or damaged by the fire, and a building damaged. Sansern repeated a statement that there were no injuries and that no weapons were destroyed or damaged. “The Army commander has been informed of the incident and has issued no special order regarding the matter,” he added.
Prior to the fire, officials conducted a periodic check of weapons’ shelf lives. Those items whose service period had expired were extracted from the boxes, which were scattered outside in preparation for demolition, the spokesman said.
