One person was killed and another was severely injured when an oxygen tank exploded due to the hot weather in Thailand.

Samran Prasit, 32, was fiddling with the oxygen container on the back of a pick-up truck when it burst, apparently triggered by the blistering weather in Samut Prakan province on April 29.

Officers from the Bang Bo Police Station inspected the scene after receiving a report at 2:40 PM.

They found a burning black pick-up truck that was destroyed, while Attapol Namyotha, 32, lay near the wreckage with one of his ears torn off.

Cops also found the mangled body of Samran some 50 metres from the truck. He was missing his right leg, while both of his arms were badly torn with the bone exposed. Parts of his body were found scattered in a 100-metre radius, police said.

Speaking to local reporters, witness Somjit Priaoson, 35, said: 'My friends and I came from Samut Sakhon to buy machinery parts. We were travelling in two cars and parked on the roadside for about 10 minutes.'

While the group were resting, Somjit said he heard a loud blast and saw the two explosion victims gravely injured.

He said: 'I don't know what caused the explosion since the other gas tanks did not explode. Three other oxygen tanks we had were missing.'

Ekkasit Boonkamnerd, a resident living two miles from the scene, said the blast jolted him while he was at home. He rode his motorcycle to the site and, after seeing the fire and the two maimed men lying on the ground, immediately called for rescue services.

Police Captain Krissana Piriyavanichcha said: 'We believe the explosion occurred when the three oxygen tanks lying on the ground were exposed to heat and exploded.'

He added that police were coordinating with experts to find the exact cause of the blast.