Chaiyaphum auto shop suffers 10m baht fire damage, electrical fault suspected

A devastating fire engulfed an auto accessories store in the heart of the northeastern Isaan province of Chaiyaphum, causing over 10 million baht in damages. The inferno is believed to have been sparked by an electrical short circuit. The inferno destroyed a shop that had been in operation for over 50 years.

Deputy Investigator Watcharin Huchaiyaphum from the Chaiyaphum City Police Station was alerted to the fire by the 191 Radio Centre yesterday at around 11.10pm. The fire had broken out at the Autosound Branch 5, a commercial three-storey building at 254/10-11, Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chaiyaphum Province.

Upon arrival, more than 10 municipal fire trucks from Chaiyaphum and nearby Subdistrict Administrative Organisations were on the scene, battling the flames engulfing the commercial building from the first to the third floor.

The ground floor housed a sun-blocking film and car accessories shop. Due to the height of the three-storey building and the presence of flammable materials such as engine oil and car accessories within the burning building, reinforcement trucks had to be brought in to assist.

With their water trucks, it took the officials over an hour and a half to control the blaze, reported KhaoSod.

The shop owner, Somkid Suaysom, explained that he was asleep by the side of the shop when he was alerted to the fire by neighbours. He rushed down to find his shop in flames.

The cause is suspected to be an electrical short circuit, considering the shop has been open for over 50 years. Preliminary estimates place the damage at around 10 million baht.

Once the blaze was under control, Deputy Investigator Watcharin proceeded to inspect the scene, along with the Evidence Verification Unit from the Chaiyaphum City Police Station, to further investigate the cause of the fire.

The blaze comes just five days after another major fire, this one in Pattaya. The Four Regions Floating Market succumbed to a fierce inferno, causing extensive damage and leaving a financial toll of at least 50 million baht.

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