One person was killed and five others injured when an oil tanker exploded causing a fire onboard.

The ship was engulfed in flames following the blast on the Mae Klong river in Samut Songkhram, central Thailand, shortly before at 9.30 am local time.

Firefighters rushed to the scene of the inferno on the vessel named Smooth Sea 22. Provincial Governor Somnuk Promkeaw arrived with paramedics and rescue teams, who set up an operation centre in front of the office of Ruammitr Dockyard Company.

At least four firefighting trucks, two firefighting boats, two rescue pickup trucks, and two ambulances were gathered for the mission.

Out of the 16 workers onboard, at least one was killed while five people were injured and were taken to the Somdej Phra Phutthaloetla Hospital.

Firefighters had still not managed to control the blaze and there were several explosions at lunchtime.

Officials said the oil tanker had docked for maintenance at the shipyard on January 12 with 20,000 litres of fuel oil and diesel onboard.

According to Marine Department, the Smooth Sea 22 was given a license on June 9, 2022, for carrying oil with a flash point under 60 degrees Celcius. The license's expiration date was May 30, 2023.