Fire at university destroys three vehicles in Thanyaburi

A fire engulfed three vehicles within a renowned university in Thanyaburi, causing significant damage. The blaze, which destroyed two minibuses and one van, is suspected to have been caused by a battery issue that had been reported multiple times but not addressed.

At 6am today, October 10, Phonchet Phommool, an investigator at Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station, received a report about a fire within a well-known university in Prachathipat, Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani province. Firefighters from Rangsit Municipality rushed to the scene with three fire trucks.

The fire, which had spread rapidly, engulfed two minibuses and a nearby van parked in a garage. Firefighters battled the flames for 40 minutes before successfully extinguishing them.

A 57 year old security guard recounted his experience that morning. He had been making his rounds when he heard an explosion from one of the minibuses. Initially, he saw nothing unusual and returned to his post. Shortly after, another security guard came running to inform him of the fire.

“The vehicle that caught fire had been parked overnight. Three vehicles were affected, with the middle one being charged due to a deteriorating battery. I had reported the issue several times, but no action was taken to replace the battery,” the security guard explained.

Another nearby resident, Mongkol (pseudonym), shared his account. He mentioned that the middle vehicle was often left charging. On the night of the fire, he was in his room when he heard about the blaze and rushed out to see the vehicles already on fire, reported KhaoSod.

“There were five vehicles parked, but we could only remove two in time. The remaining three, including the university’s van, were completely engulfed. The fire likely started from the vehicle charging its battery, though I’m not sure when the charging began.”

Initially, Phonchet arrived at the scene, documenting the incident with photographs. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, with forensic officers expected to examine the scene to determine the origin of the blaze.