Pattaya air con blaze sparks high-rise chaos
Foreign guest blamed as faulty unit triggers late-night emergency in towering beachside complex
Panic swept through a Pattaya high-rise last night as a fire erupted on the 19th floor, forcing a frantic evacuation of terrified residents and tourists.
The blaze broke out just after 8pm yesterday, May 7, at a 29-storey condominium located in Soi Chaiyapruek 3. According to the Pattaya City Disaster Relief Centre, flames were first spotted in Room 1911, with thick black smoke pouring from the rear of the unit and engulfing the upper floors.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Phuttharak Sonkhamhan, Deputy Inspector of Pattaya City Police Station, rushed to the scene alongside emergency crews and disaster response personnel.
The team quickly deployed water and chemical agents to suppress the fire, bringing the situation under control before it spread further.
The chaos unfolded as residents were hurriedly ushered out of the building. Many were caught off guard, still dressed in pyjamas or mid-dinner, as fire alarms rang out across the complex.
“I saw the fire and heard people shouting about it,” said one witness, who was filming the Pattaya skyline when he spotted the flames. “I immediately called the emergency services, and people evacuated the building.”
Initial findings suggest the fire started due to an electrical short circuit in the air conditioning unit. The room’s occupant, an unnamed foreign tourist, told police he had left the air con running while heading out for errands. Upon hearing of the fire, he rushed back to the scene.
The air conditioning compressor was found heavily damaged, supporting suspicions that a mechanical fault sparked the blaze. Despite the dramatic scenes and extensive smoke damage, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Phuttharak confirmed that the site has been secured and evidence collected for further investigation, reported The Pattaya News.
With high-rise developments on the rise in Pattaya, questions are now being raised over building safety standards and the risks posed by ageing electrical equipment.
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