An oil truck fire at a storage facility in Khon Kaen resulted in one employee's death. Officials are still applying foam to prevent flare-ups while awaiting the investigation of the cause. Estimated damages are about 8 million baht.
On 2 Feb 2026 GMT+7, reporters followed up on the explosion and fire of an oil truck at a private oil storage facility in Kranuan District, Khon Kaen Province, around 09:30. Firefighters contained the blaze within a limited area but continue to spray foam over the site. Initial checks found four oil trucks damaged, five oil tanks compromised, and one fatality.
At 10:00, Khon Kaen Deputy Governor Karom Kamphithun, along with Kranuan District Chief Sukhum Donsopon, Khon Kaen Provincial Police Deputy Commander Thanawat Deebunmee, Kranuan Police Chief Somyot Sriprakun, and Investigation Officer Nikom Sata, plus officials from the Khon Kaen Provincial Energy Office and related agencies, conducted an on-site inspection. Foam trucks from the Air Force Training Center at Nam Phong Air Base and the Khon Kaen Provincial Disaster Prevention Department worked urgently to extinguish the fire. The situation was contained within a limited area, but foam spraying continues periodically over the trucks and ground, as the concrete surface near the oil trucks remains hot with smoke emanating from the burned oil tanks. Foam will be applied continuously until authorities determine the area is safe.
Karom Kamphithun said officials are still awaiting the official cause from forensic experts and evidence collected by Kranuan Police investigators. Preliminary reports from the district official, who arrived after hearing an explosion, suggest static electricity from two empty trucks parked near oil-filled trucks may have triggered a reaction causing the trucks carrying oil to explode and catch fire. Four oil trucks were destroyed: three with empty tanks and one with fuel, plus partial damage to another empty tank. One fatality was confirmed at the scene: the storage facility employee who drove the truck, later identified as 54-year-old Anon Roikamlue from Udon Thani Province. Preliminary damage is estimated at approximately 8 million baht.
Officials interviewed indicated that an oil truck explosion is highly unlikely and this is the first such incident in Khon Kaen. The oil transfer process follows international safety standards, including grounding wires to prevent static discharge. However, due to the complete fire damage, visual inspection is insufficient, and a detailed investigation by relevant agencies is needed. Investigators will examine whether proper procedures were followed during oil transfer or if shortcuts were taken, which would constitute negligence. No witnesses saw the incident, but it is suspected the deceased driver was checking oil levels and preparing to transfer fuel into the storage tanks when the explosion occurred.
The storage facility owner told police that they were alerted about the fire before hearing the explosion and found the deceased beside an empty oil truck. The owner is not ready to provide information to the media. Authorities are currently collecting evidence at the scene and reviewing surveillance footage from within the facility as part of ongoing procedures.
Nearby, a large gas station has resumed normal operations. At Srikranuanwittayakhom School, located close to the storage site, some parents took their children home over safety concerns. However, the school reopened for regular classes after officials confirmed the area is safe and unaffected by the incident.