Fire kills 11 cats and injures five in Bangkok home

Firefighters battled a blaze on the second floor of a house in Bangkok, discovering the tragic scene of 11 cats dead and five severely injured. The owner was in shock, revealing she housed 29 cats there.

Officers from Thungkhru Police Station received a report of a fire at 6.40pm yesterday, October 4, at a residential home within Khlong Kao Hong community, Soi Pracha Uthit 90, Thung Khru district, Bangkok. Firefighters from Thung Khru Station were immediately dispatched, along with volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

Upon arrival, flames and smoke were detected emanating from the second floor of a half-concrete, half-wooden house, enclosed by a fence, located at No. 7, Section 1 to 12, Khlong Kao Hong Community. Firefighters quickly laid out hoses and managed to extinguish the fire within five minutes. Once the blaze was out, they ventilated the area to assess the damage.

The scene was heart-wrenching, with numerous cat cages lined up, each holding multiple cats. In total, more than 20 cats were found, 11 of which had succumbed to the fire. The surviving cats had sustained burn injuries.

The homeowner, 53 year old Sirissara was in a state of shock. She explained that she kept 29 cats on the second floor, which was specifically used as a cat room.

“I left the fan on for the cats during the day and turned it off at night. I have no idea what caused the fire, whether it was a short circuit or the cats chewing on the wires. The power extension was always plugged in; we only turned off the fan switch, not the extension.”

Initial rescue efforts saw the severely injured cats transported to a nearby animal hospital. Five cats were in critical condition, while veterinary teams provided first aid to the remaining injured cats, advising that they be monitored at home.

Police will continue to investigate the cause of the fire and proceed with legal actions as necessary, reported KhaoSod.