Dry Phuket conditions cause another blaze to errupt

PHUKET: A fire broke out in a dry field along Thepkrassatri Road yesterday that required firefighters from three stations two hours to put out.

The fire, which started at 12:45pm, affected about five rai of land but did not cause any damage to property or to people in the area, said a Thepkrasattri Municipality Emergency Medical Service worker.

Ten firemen manning two fire trucks from Thepkrasattri, one from Koh Kaew and one from Sri Soonthorn Municipality were called to the scene at the field opposite the Isuzu dealership in Koh Kaew. The main burn areas were subdued by 3pm, but small patches of flames were still visible after 6pm.

“This field catches fire every year, so we were not surprised,” said the EMS worker.

“The cause of the fire this time is unknown.”

Noting that the lack of rainfall has made island vegetation dry, he urged local residents to be alert to fire risks.

“Please pay attention to your surroundings when disposing of potential fire hazards like cigarette butts. Dropping a butt on dry grass can cause big problems.”

Officers believe that a discarded cigarette butt is most likely what led to the jungle fire on Toh Sae Hill last week (story here).

— Chutharat Plerin