Gas explosion injures woman and damages homes in Lat Krabang

A gas explosion in a residential area of Lat Krabang, Bangkok, left a 73 year old woman seriously injured and caused damage to five houses. Officials from the Lat Krabang District Office are assessing the damage and investigating the incident.

Police from Chalong Krung Station were alerted to a gas cylinder explosion yesterday, September 24, in a house located in Soi Chalong Krung 53, Lam Pla Thio subdistrict, Lat Krabang district, Bangkok. Firefighters and rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.

The explosion occurred in the kitchen of a two-storey house. The blast’s impact caused severe damage, scattering kitchen appliances and collapsing part of the ceiling. Preliminary investigations revealed that a 15-kilogramme gas cylinder had exploded, affecting the house and four neighbouring residences.

The explosion’s impact zone was approximately 12 square metres, and injured a 73 year old woman, Boonrat. She suffered a broken leg and burns from the ceiling collapse and was urgently transported to Lat Krabang Hospital before being transferred to Sirindhorn Hospital.

A village committee member, 45 year old Thawatchai recounted hearing the explosion around 9am. He was alerted by neighbours and rushed to the scene, finding Boonrat trapped under kitchen debris. The ceiling had collapsed onto her, and kitchen items had fallen, causing additional injuries. Despite minor burns and abrasions, her leg injuries were severe.

The village security team managed to extinguish the flames emanating from the gas cylinder before they could cause further damage. A neighbour who witnessed the incident said they heard the elderly woman shouting for help. Residents quickly ran to locate her and called the security guards, who shut off the gas valve and extinguished the fire in time.

Possible gas leak

Thawatchai further mentioned that, according to the firefighters, the gas cylinder and its valve appeared to be in normal condition. The safety system was also intact. However, preliminary assessments suggest that the explosion might have resulted from a gas leak possibly caused by improper installation.

The homeowner noted that they had smelled gas for two or three days after calling a shop to replace the gas cylinder. Despite notifying the shop to fix the issue, the explosion occurred when the elderly woman entered the kitchen to turn off the water. It is uncertain whether she switched on a light or performed another action that might have triggered the explosion.

The homeowner has reported the damage to the local police station, awaiting assistance from insurance companies and relevant agencies. The Lat Krabang District Office and other agencies have already inspected the site. They emphasised the importance of ventilating kitchens if a gas leak is detected and avoiding the use of electrical switches or fans to prevent sparks. The gas valve should be turned off, and windows opened to dissipate the gas.

Officials are still determining the exact cause of the leak and whether the house needs to be temporarily evacuated. Further assessments will be conducted to evaluate the structural integrity of the affected houses, reported KhaoSod.