New Zealander forgets electric kettle, suffers major fire damage to home

PHUKET: Fire-fighters rushed to put out a fire at a Kiwi expat’s house in Thalang yesterday, after he left an electric appliance switched on and forgot about it.

The New Zealander’s carelessness had reportedly caused the fire. However, his associate nearby saw the blaze and alerted the authorities.

“By about 5pm, two fire trucks had arrived at the home in Permsup Villas in Baan Manik, Cherngtalay. It took them about 15 minutes to put out the fire, which had luckily affected only one room,” said Capt Kraisorn Boonprasob of Thalang Police.

Apart from the blackened ceiling, floor and walls of the room, and the destruction of furniture and other personal property, the fire did not spread anywhere else in the two-storey building. However, by the time it was finally extinguished, the floors leading all the way to the entrance of the home were covered in soot, sludge and water.

The loss was estimated at about 100,000 baht.

Additional reporting by Zohaib Sikander.

— Winai Sarot