A TRAILER-TRUCK carrying over 25 tonnes of fireworks from Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi to Supanburi lost control and overturned as it plunged into a canal while following GPS directions and fortunately the driver and his wife were not injured, TV Channel 7 said late last night (Nov. 30).
The accident occurred at a canal in Phai Khwang subdistrict, Suphan Buri City, with the trailer-truck carrying over a thousand boxes of fireworks losing control at a narrow road leading to the destination.
The cargo was destined for southern Hat Yai city for distribution during the New Year festival but because of the severe flooding the company got permission to move it to a warehouse in Suphanburi for a day or two until the flooding situation further improves.
The unidentified 44-year-old driver said he and his wife left Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi on Saturday Nov. 29 and stopped in Samut Sakhon province before proceeding to the warehouse in Suphan Buri City.
He admitted that he was unfamiliar with the route so he turned on GPS guidance which told him to follow a dirt road along the canal. However he then reached a curve where the road is narrower and the soil soft causing the vehicle to start sinking. The two of them managed to quickly get out as the vehicle slowly tipped into the canal.
Sgt. Maj. Thanat Sridusadee, assistant to the Suphan Buri provincial defence commander, said this area was very dark and water flooded the containers holding the firecrackers weighing them down further with this hampering rescue efforts. However this resumed yesterday with two large cranes lifting the containers out of the water and upon inspection the fireworks within were completely wet and damaged.
The company has sent another trailer-truck to move the damaged cargo elsewhere for careful destruction.
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Top and Front Page – Containers full of fireworks being lifted out of the canal. Photos – TV Channel 7
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