A commercial building in Sisaket province was engulfed in flames early this morning, following two explosive sounds suspected to be from gas cylinders. The blaze rapidly spread, causing chaos as firefighting teams rushed to extinguish the fire, which started at 4.10am near Luang Sumangkalaram Temple.
Police officer Weerawich Sriponduan from the Sisaket City Police Station immediately attended the scene alongside disaster prevention and mitigation officers from the Sisaket Municipality and two fire engines.
The fire, fueled by the hot, dry weather, quickly consumed the storage area behind the commercial building. Amidst the firefighting efforts, two explosive noises, likely from gas cylinders and electrical short circuits, were heard intermittently, prompting firefighters to intensify their efforts. Despite the intensity of the flames, the fire was brought under control within approximately 35 minutes.
The incident occurred at a junction near the Luang Sumangkalaram Temple, in the heart of the city. A 33 year old local, Samart (surname withheld), witnessed the events unfolding. He reported smelling something akin to burning incense before seeing the flames behind the row of buildings. He also heard several explosions as the fire raged and quickly alerted nearby security personnel and contacted emergency services to report the fire, reported KhaoSod.
The fire destroyed one building completely, while adjacent commercial properties and four parked vehicles narrowly escaped the inferno. Officer Weerawich is now leading an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire for further legal action. Samart added that the quick response of the fire brigade played a crucial role in saving approximately 12 adjoining units and the four vehicles from being consumed by the fire.