Pregnant woman injured, boy killed as fire-damaged tree collapses on their truck

A boy is dead and a pregnant woman seriously injured after a roadside tree broke and fell on their pickup truck in the western province of Kanchanaburi yesterday. Police say the incident occurred at about 3:30pm while 24 year old Kanokkorn Sangkhachi was driving a Nissan Navara pickup along Highway 323. She was accompanied by her 12 year old brother, Tao, a student.

At the kilometre 234 marker, a tree suddenly collapsed and fell on the truck, causing it to skid off the highway. The vehicle was badly damaged, as nearly the entire roof was ripped off by the falling tree. Kanokkorn, who is 5 months pregnant, was seriously injured, while her her brother was killed.

Tewin Meesap, chief of the Khao Laem National Park, where the incident occurred, says the lower part of the tree that fell on the truck was burned in a fire that ravaged the roadside forest between kilometres 232-238 yesterday. The tree also brought down power posts and transmission cables, causing a blackout in the entire district of Sangkhla Buri.

In a related development, police in Lampang province have arrested a suspected arsonist for setting forest fires.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post