A fire at the Phimai sugar factory is now under control, officials say. They are urgently assessing the damage and have temporarily halted all machinery operations.
On 12 April 2026, a fire broke out inside the Phimai sugar factory in Nong Rawiang Subdistrict, Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Smoke covered the sky during the morning hours.Read the news: Fire at Phimai Sugar Factory in Korat, Black Smoke Covers the Sky—Evacuation of Residents Underway)
Currently, firefighters from the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office have brought the fire under control. The fire started in the sugarcane residue inside the factory before spreading to the sugarcane conveyor building, causing partial damage to that structure.
Nikorn Somklang, Minister of Social Development and Human Security; Polpir Suwannachawi, Deputy Minister of Interior; Anupong Suksamanit, Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima Province; and the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administrative Organization visited the site to monitor the fire situation. They coordinated with various agencies, including the provincial disaster office and local rescue units, deploying more than 17 fire trucks and 64 firefighters to combat the sugarcane residue fire within the Phimai sugar factory.
The preliminary cause is believed to be the extreme heat, which generated high temperatures near the sugarcane residue storage behind the factory, sparking a severe fire. The fire has now been contained within a limited area, and damage assessment is ongoing.