Fire engulfs Chon Buri shop, owner leaps from second floor
Blaze triggers panic as explosive materials sit dangerously close
A fire engulfed a fresh produce shop in Chon Buri‘s Bang Lamung district early today prompting the owner to leap from the second floor in panic.
Residents helped extinguish the flames, fearing they might spread to a nearby stockpile of fireworks. The Nong Prue subdistrict’s municipal emergency radio centre received reports of the fire at 4.06am, today, June 24, with people reportedly trapped inside the building.
The two-storey commercial building, located on Soi Wat Boon Samphan 2, housed a shop selling fresh vegetables, chicken, pork, frozen foods, groceries, and beverages.
Upon arrival, emergency services, including rescue personnel from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya and Nong Prue police, found the fire raging inside, filling the area with dense smoke. Three people were residing in the building at the time.
One male resident, trapped on the ground floor, was rescued with minor injuries by neighbours who forced open the back door. Two women on the second floor, in a state of panic, jumped to escape, sustaining burns to their legs and feet and suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire is believed to have originated on the ground floor.
Five fire trucks from the Nong Prue municipality were deployed to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings, and the blaze was brought under control within 20 minutes.
Nearby residents, including children, the elderly, and the sick, were evacuated in time, avoiding further injuries. Inside the building, nearly all personal belongings were destroyed, and officials cordoned off the area for safety.
Witnesses and residents reported that a welder had been working inside the shop before the fire, although it remains unclear if this was the cause.
They described how the intense heat and neighbours’ shouts alerted them to the danger, with smoke visibly emanating from the shop. One woman attempted to climb to a neighbouring balcony, assisted by bystanders, and fortunately, only suffered minor injuries.
While firefighters worked to contain the flames, they discovered a significant stockpile of fireworks in the shop. Continuous water spraying was necessary to prevent the fire from reaching this potentially hazardous area.
Initial investigations by Nong Prue police involved capturing images of the incident and reviewing CCTV footage, which vividly recorded the owner’s escape.
The fire is suspected to have been caused by welding sparks igniting the fireworks or a possible electrical short circuit. However, the exact cause remains under investigation, pending further examination by the Chon Buri Region 2 Forensic Office, reported KhaoSod.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
