Video Report: Phuket welder allegedly sparks furniture shop inferno

PHUKET: A welder’s sparks that allegedly fell onto highly-flammable material left a furniture shop in Phuket Town gutted yesterday afternoon.

The flames were contained and put out within 30 minutes. However, a rice warehouse next to the furniture store incurred some damage, confirmed Pornthip Chumsri of the Phuket City Police.

“I had hired a repairman to replace the old roof. While he was welding, one of the sparks landed in a can of paint thinner, which quickly led to a fire that engulfed the entire store,” said Rewat Suwannawong, the son of the furniture shop owner.

An estimated 150,000 baht of damage was caused by the blaze.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong