Residents told to leave areas around burning Samut Prakan dump after toxic fumes detected
PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ordered the evacuation of residents from about 1,500 homes in Samut Prakan after a fire at a local garbage dump yesterday was declared a disaster area, and toxic fumes spread to many parts of the province and nearby areas in Bangkok. Kanit Iamrahong, the governor of Samut Prakan, said yesterday that three communities closest to the dump, with 1,480 families, had been evacuated. The governor declared Tambon Praeksa in Samut Prakan's Muang district, where the burning dump site is located, a disaster area.