131 major fires reported

[reader]

From Thai PBS World

A total of 131 fires were reported in Bangkok during the first five months of this year, with 39 being recorded in January alone, according to statistics compiled by the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

The statistics show there were 27 fires in February, 13 in March, 32 in April and 20 in May. There were long public holidays in both January and April.

Bang Khun Thian district recorded the highest number of fires during that period, with 9, followed by 7 each in Bang Kapi and Prawet, 6 each in Bang Khae and Ratchathewi, 5 in Nong Chok and 4 each in Bang Kho Laem, Min Buri, Lat Phrao, Wang Thong Lang, Wattana, Saphan Soong and Huai Khwang.

At least three serious incidents have been reported so far this month. On June 6th, a fire broke out at a popular pub in a 6-storey building on Silom Soi 2, but there were no casualties. On June 21st, over 100 residents of the Bon Kai community in the Khlong Toei area were left homeless after more than 30 houses were razed in a fire. In a blaze in Chinatown’s Sampeng Market two people died, six suffered the effects of smoke inhalation yesterday (Sunday). Four shop houses were heavily damaged, along with three cars and four motorcycles.

Forensic investigators and building inspectors from the BMAare due to inspect the scene of the Sampeng Market fire this morning, to determine the cause of the conflagration and to check whether the damaged shop houses and adjoining buildings are still structurally safe.
============

From Coconuts Bangkok

Investigation continues after Chinatown fire kills 2

Authorities this morning were investigating the cause of a huge blaze in Chinatown which killed two people and injured a half dozen others.

The Metropolitan Electricity Authority was investigating in detail what caused Sunday’s fire that broke out at a home in the historic Sampeng area of Bangkok’s old town.

The fire started at around 11:20am  in a three-story shophouse before quickly spreading to other nearby shophouses. It took about three hours for firefighters and a dozen fire trucks to extinguish the fire. 

The blaze injured at least six people and killed two people at the scene: Jirapat Soommak, 52, and a Cambodian national only identified as Petchduan, 34. Both were employees at Ratchawong Rung Ruang, a shop that deals with paper and plastic materials.

According to the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, its preliminary finding was that a transformer failed but is continuing to investigate.

The incident came less than a week after a major blaze ravaged a community in Bon Kai along the Rama IV Road, destroying dozens of homes and displacing over 100 people.