Fire in Bangkok’s Chinatown injures 30, damages hotel

A fire that ravaged the Trok Pho community in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown, was brought under control late last night after igniting around 9pm. The blaze left approximately 30 people injured.

Firefighters received reports of the fire beginning at 8.42pm in the Trok Pho area along Yaowarat Road in the Samphanthawong district. The fire quickly spread through the 3,200-square-metre community, which housed around 30 wooden residences.

Approximately 40 fire engines were dispatched to the scene, and firefighters managed to control the flames by 11.16pm.

The fire also caused damage to a portion of the seven-story New Empire Hotel. Firefighters successfully evacuated guests using the bucket of a fire engine.

Around 30 individuals sustained injuries, primarily due to smoke inhalation, with most of the injured being senior citizens. No fatalities have been reported.

For public safety, a section of Yaowarat Road was closed from Chaloem Buri intersection to Odeon roundabout as firefighters continued to extinguish smouldering debris, reported Bangkok Post.

The incident affected roughly 280 people, many of whom sought refuge at Wat Traimit. Most of those displaced are workers from other provinces and neighbouring countries.

In related news, a fire erupted in the ventilation shaft of a prominent hotel in downtown Hat Yai, leading to chaotic scenes as staff and guests scrambled to evacuate. Officials are investigating the incident, initially suspected to be caused by an electrical short circuit.

At 7.30pm on June 25, emergency services were alerted to a fire at a well-known hotel on Sanehanusorn Road, within the Hat Yai municipality in Songkhla province. Firefighters from Hat Yai Municipality quickly responded, dispatching four fire engines to the scene.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered flames inside the hotel’s ventilation shaft, which measures over 1.5 metres wide. It took approximately 10 minutes to bring the fire under control, but during this time, thick smoke filled the hotel, causing panic among both guests and staff.