Volunteer firefighter attacked by Asian black bear in Lampang

An Asian black bear attacked a volunteer firefighter while putting out a forest fire at Chae Son National Park in the northern province of Lampang on April 21. The victim is currently in a stable condition.

The volunteer firefighter, 56 year old Sarm Mungtrong, sustained injuries to his head and arm after being attacked by the Asian black bear during the operation at Huay Dok Lao Forest in the Chae Son National Park in Lampang.

Sarm recounted that he and 20 other volunteers responded to the forest fire but thick smoke obscured his vision he did not notice the bear until it approached him. The bear attacked Sarm causing him to fall into a creek. His colleagues intervened and chased the bear away.

Sarm was delivered to hospital and received 10 stitches to a wound on his arm. His condition was stable so he was later discharged to rest at home.

The Thai authorities visited Sarm at his home yesterday, April 23, and planned to issue warnings to locals and firefighters about the potential threat of wild animals fleeing forest fires and seeking refuge near residential areas.

Firefighters in northern Thailand are working tirelessly to extinguish forest fires and monitor the situation to protect both wildlife and residents. High temperatures further complicated the situation, putting every firefighter at risk of heatstroke.

According to the Thai Meteorological Department, Lampang has the highest temperature in Thailand at over 44 degrees Celsius and remained at the top of the list for the past three days.

In a related incident, three firefighters from Thao Lan National Park in Prachin Buri province suffered from heatstroke on April 23, with one in a serious condition. Prompt action by their colleagues, including CPR, saved the life of the seriously affected officer. All three were taken to the hospital and are currently in stable condition.