11-11-2023 (BANGKOK) An elderly woman lost her life due to suffocation, and over 20 individuals suffered minor injuries following a fire that broke out at a condominium in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district in the early hours of Saturday.
The incident, reported to the police around 12:35 am, occurred at a 27-storey condominium on Soi Phetchaburi 15 off Phetchaburi Road, as stated by Pol Col Siriphong Phengmanee, the deputy investigation chief at Phaya Thai police station.
More than 30 fire trucks rushed to the scene as flames engulfed the 20th and 21st floors of the building. Residents, prioritizing their safety, quickly evacuated, with some seeking refuge on the rooftop. It took firefighters approximately 30 minutes to bring the fire under control.
Amidst the chaos, over 20 residents suffered from suffocation and sought medical attention. Unfortunately, a woman, approximately 70 years old, lost consciousness and was declared dead while being transported to Rajavithi Hospital.
A police investigation revealed that the fire originated in a room belonging to a 74-year-old fruit vendor named Kitti (surname withheld). The vendor utilized the space for storage and ripening mangoes using fruit-ripening gas. Notably, the vendor slept on the bed of his pickup truck parked on the eighth floor of the car park building.
This was not the first fire incident in Mr. Kitti’s room; a previous occurrence was attributed to a short circuit in the air conditioning compressor, according to police records.
Pol Col Chayut Phongsak, chief of Phaya Thai police, stated that forensic officers were examining the scene to determine the cause of the fire. Mr. Kitti, the fruit vendor, would be summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
