SAM PHRAN — 1993 · Major Tragedy
The Kader Toy Factory Fire
On 10 May 1993 fire broke out at a factory complex owned by Kader Industrial, which made toys largely for Western markets, in Sam Phran district of Nakhon Pathom province near Bangkok. Starting on the ground floor of one building, it spread rapidly through stored fabric, plastics and other flammable material. With doors kept locked, fire escapes shown on plans never built and no alarm system, workers were trapped; the steel-framed buildings soon collapsed. The fire killed 188 people and injured 469; most of the dead were young women workers from rural areas. It is regarded as one of the deadliest factory fires in history and became a symbol of the debate over worker safety in global supply chains.
- Date
- 1993
- Place
- Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, Sam Phran, TH
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 13.7300, 100.2200 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 10 May 1993Fire broke out at the Kader toy factory.
- 10 May 1993The buildings soon collapsed; 188 workers died and 469 were injured.
- 1993Investigations revealed locked doors and fire exits that had never been built.
- Following yearsThe disaster became a symbol of the worker-safety debate in global supply chains.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Kader Toy Factory fire en.wikipedia.org ↗
- WSWS — Ten years since the Kader toy factory fire wsws.org ↗
- Wikipedia
- World Socialist Web Site
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
Related Cases
More cases from the 1990s
Categories
Collections
🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.