- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
- Burkina Faso win to become first qualifiers for 2025 AFCON
- AC Milan's Pulisic among five out for USA match in Mexico
- France's Amandine Henry retires from international football
- Centre-left set to win pro-Ukraine Lithuania's vote
- India's World Cup hopes in Pakistan hands after Australia defeat
- Zelensky says NKorea sending troops to Russian army
- England beat Finland to get back on track
- King and Lewis propel West Indies to T20 triumph over Sri Lanka
- Pre-Halloween 'Terrifier' lands atop North America box office
- 'I still plan to compete and play next season,' says Djokovic
- Harris, Trump seek advantage in knife-edge election battle
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record in Chicago
- Kamindu and Asalanka power Sri Lanka to 179 against West Indies
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record as Korir wins in Chicago
- Spain send injured Yamal home 'to prioritise player's health'
- In milestone, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Iraq walks fine line with pro-Iran factions to avoid war
- Race four abandoned after New Zealand breeze into 3-0 lead in America's Cup
- West Indies win toss, put Sri Lanka in to bat in first T20
- Sudan rescuers say air strike killed 23 in Khartoum market
- Netanyahu tells UN to move Lebanon peacekeepers out of 'harm's way'
- Bangladeshi Hindus defy attack worries to celebrate festival
- Kiwis three up in America's Cup as Ineos pay for time penalty
- In a first, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Dominant England crush Scotland at Women's T20 World Cup
- Dropped: The rise and fall of Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam
- Israel fights Hezbollah on the ground, pounds Lebanon from the air
- Sabalenka outlasts local hero Zheng to win third Wuhan Open title
- Bangladeshi Hindus shrug off attack worries to celebrate festival
- Former Pakistan captain Azam dropped for second England Test
- 'Opportunist' Dupont dazzles on Toulouse return
- Australia replace injured Vlaeminck with Graham at Women's T20 World Cup
- Sinner wins Shanghai Masters to deny Djokovic 100th career title
- Ubisoft fears assassin's hit over falling sales
- Israel hits Lebanon from the air and fights Hezbollah on the ground
- China's Yin has 'goosebumps' as she romps to LPGA win in Shanghai
- Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- Blair and King Charles hail Salmond's 'devotion' to Scotland
- Vietnam, China hold talks on calming South China Sea tensions
- SpaceX will try to 'catch' giant Starship rocket shortly before landing
- England captain Stokes in line for second Pakistan Test return
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgery: reports
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
- Israel widens Lebanon strikes as troops fight Hezbollah along border
- Bowlers' graveyards: Pakistan's placid pitches under fresh fire
- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
Death toll rises to at least 10 in Thai warehouse explosion
The death toll from a powerful explosion that levelled an unlicensed fireworks warehouse in southern Thailand rose to at least 10 on Sunday, the local governor said as police sought the owner on charges of negligence.
The blast Saturday afternoon in the town of Sungai Kolok was believed to have been caused by welding during construction work on a building storing fireworks illegally.
More than 100 people were injured in the blast that left only twisted metal beams still standing as rescue workers picked over the debris, with local media reporting hundreds of homes were also seriously damaged.
"We have identified 10 people and found parts of two bodies which we cannot identify yet," Narathiwat provincial governor Sanan Pongaksorn told a press conference Sunday.
"We are sending to forensics to do DNA tests but primary reports said they were different," he added.
Police said they were investigating the cause of the explosion in the building, adding they believed it was not licensed to store fireworks.
Narathiwat police commander, Police Major General Chalermporn Khamkhiew, said shortly before the explosion fire-crackers had been delivered.
"We are investigating if those firecrackers were transported legally or illegally," he said.
"As of now, we do not see any licence for possession of firecrackers or firecracker sales," he said.
"We assume the factory has no licence."
The blast detonated from roughly 1,000 kilograms (a ton) of gunpowder, he said, causing two holes roughly two metres deep and six metres (20 feet) wide.
"We have issued a summons to the owner of the factory with the charge of negligence, which caused the accident," said Colonel Suthawet Thareethai, police chief in Muno district.
"We are waiting for him to come," he said.
Officials said a command centre had been established not far from the incident, and authorities had already received 365 complaints from those who had been injured, or had their homes and property damaged.
"Some government office and private schools were also damanged," officials added.
- 'Thunderous noise' -
Police said of the original 115 injured in the blast, some 106 people had been discharged. The condition of those remaining in hospital was not known.
The fire was brought under control late Saturday.
The army would assist in the recovery and clean-up operation, said southern army commander Lieutenant General Santi Sakhutanark.
"We will provide manpower and equipment," he said.
Eye witnesses reported a huge boom and the earth shaking Saturday.
"I was playing with my phone inside the house then suddenly I heard a loud, thunderous noise and my whole house shook," eyewitness Seksan Taesen, who lives 100 metres (yards) away from the warehouse, told AFP.
"Then I saw my roof was wide open. I looked outside and I saw houses collapsing and people lying on the ground everywhere. It was chaos."
Explosions at workshops producing firecrackers and other pyrotechnics are not uncommon in Thailand.
Saturday's deadly blast comes just five days after 11 people reportedly were injured when a fireworks factory exploded in northern Chiang Mai city.
The Southeast Asian kingdom also has a poor safety record in the construction sector and deadly accidents are common.
Last month two people were killed when a bridge under construction in Bangkok collapsed onto traffic.
F.Bennett--AMWN