Fire ravages Ranong market building, efforts save nearby school

A devastating fire engulfed a four-storey commercial building in the heart of Ranong’s market area, taking five hours to bring under control. The blaze consumed two shops selling religious goods while efforts to prevent further spread were successful.

Today, November 12, the disaster prevention and mitigation team of Ranong Municipality received an urgent report about a fire breaking out in a commercial building located in the bustling market zone of Bang Non, Mueang Ranong district, Ranong province.

Immediate coordination with local administrative organisations, including Bang Non-subdistrict municipality, Pak Nam subdistrict municipality, Bang Rin municipality, and Ranong Provincial Administrative Organisation, alongside the Ranong Relief Foundation and private water trucks, was initiated to combat the blaze.

The fire originated in the third and fourth units of a 14-unit commercial building that housed a shop selling incense, candles, and various other items. It swiftly spread from the ground floor to other levels where stock was stored, prompting an evacuation of the surrounding buildings.

Approximately 30 fire trucks from various agencies arrived at the scene to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent units. The fire was initially confined to the two units but the situation remained precarious.

The burning building stood perilously close, only 2 metres away, to Sri Aru Nothai School, necessitating additional reinforcement from 10 fire trucks. School equipment, including musical instruments from four classrooms near the site, was moved to safety to prevent damage.

Market fire

Despite two hours of continuous efforts, the fire persisted. A private crane was brought in to elevate firefighters and hoses to target the second and third floors. Efforts focused on preventing the fire from expanding beyond the two units occupied by the religious goods store.

By the third hour, at around 1am, firefighters were still unable to enter the building due to the risk posed by the collapsing awning and steel roof structure. A backhoe was employed to dismantle these structures to facilitate firefighting operations, given the building’s depth of over 20 metres.

By 3am, despite nearly five hours of rigorous firefighting, the flames were still not entirely extinguished. However, the fire was contained within a limited area.

A nearby resident recounted hearing dogs barking loudly, which prompted them to investigate. They observed thick black smoke emanating from next door, accompanied by loud firecracker-like noises, which few had noticed initially. As they attempted to alert the shop owner, a power outage occurred, forcing them to evacuate their home.

A bystander, dining nearby at a restaurant 30 metres away, mistook the smoke for a fire in waste. Upon reaching the incense shop, they saw flames at the back of the building, accompanied by firecracker sounds.

They quickly alerted the shop owner and fire services. The delay in the arrival of fire trucks contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Despite the swift response from multiple agencies, the fire had already taken a significant toll.

Kanathip Sukcharoen, Deputy Governor of Ranong, was overseeing the situation.

“At around 10pm, a fire broke out at a four-storey commercial building housing the incense and candle shop. Support from all local administrative organisations, including private water trucks, helped prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings. We’ve evacuated all residents, and I am here on behalf of Governor Naris Niramaivong to monitor the situation and assist the affected public.”

The firefighting team continued to spray water into the two-unit building to prevent the stock inside from reigniting, with expectations that the fire would be extinguished by morning. Preliminary investigations suggest an electrical short circuit as the cause of the fire, reported KhaoSod.

The Ranong Provincial Forensics Unit, along with the investigating officer from the Ranong City Police Station, will continue to examine the scene to determine the definitive cause.