Jewellery district on fire, but not in a good way: Bangkok blaze barely misses the bling

Bangkok’s Bang Rak district was jolted awake in the early hours as a fire broke out at a jewellery import-export company today. Fortunately, the blaze was contained before it could spread to the vault. The preliminary speculation points towards an electrical circuit malfunction as a possible cause.

Around 12.10am today, Deputy Superintendent Patiwat Ruangphoeng of the Bang Rak Police Station rushed to the scene of the fire at the Diamrussa Co., Ltd., located in Surawongse Road’s Soi Pramot. Firefighters from Bang Rak were swiftly coordinated to douse the fire with three fire trucks being dispatched to the site at once.

The affected building, a six-story commercial edifice housing the jewellery import-export business, emitted flames and smoke notably from the fifth floor. Firefighters were initially unable to penetrate the building due to stringent security measures and the absence of any residents inside. They had to reach out to the company’s owner to gain access and fight the fire raging inside.

Before the owner arrived, preliminary efforts were made to control the fire from the outside of the building to prevent it from spreading.

Upon arrival, the company owner, Supatra Pongsawatkul, assisted the firefighting personnel in hauling the fire hose into the building. They discovered that the origin of the fire was in a jewellery crafting room.

After approximately 30 minutes of fighting the fire, the authorities successfully gained control over the flames, preventing them from spreading to the vault where the jewellery was stored.

Preliminary hypotheses suggest an electrical short circuit as the potential cause of the fire. However, confirmation will only arrive after a detailed examination by forensic experts.

In related fire news, a German man reportedly set fire to his house in the northern province of Phayao after his Thai wife disappeared for a few days. A team of firefighters managed to rescue the man who suffered burns across his body.

Chun Police Station officers, in coordination with both rescue and firefighter teams, swiftly made their way to the house in the Baan Sak Lor Community in the Chun district of Phayao province yesterday following an urgent fire notification. To read more about the story click HERE.