An explosion near Thai capital Bangkok's international airport left a plastic's factory in flames, killing one firefighter and wounding 27 people, officials said. Heavy plumes of black smoke could be seen rising up to the sky from  the city's downtown 35 kilometres away, as rescuers continued to evacuate residents near the site.<br />'' <br />''The blast occurred around 3 a.m. local time today, at Taiwan-based Ming Dih Chemical Co., located on the outskirts of Bangkok near Suvarnabhumi airport. The public have been ordered to stay away from a radius of at least 500 metres around the blast site, said Lieutenant General Ampon Buarubporn. He said that the authorities are still working to get the fire under control.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Rescue workers drove around the neighbourhood in emergency vans, telling thousands of residents via loudspeakers to leave for their safety. The cause of the explosion is not known.</span><br />