SARABURI - A woman was burned to death in a fire that engulfed an old community near a fresh market in Kaeng Khoi district in the early hours of Saturday, destroying more than 50 wooden houses and commercial buildings.
The fire broke out at the community near Kaeng Khoi municipal market, said Pol Col Pairote Trisophon, chief of Kaeng Khoi police station. The blaze was reported shortly after midnight.
More than 20 fire trucks were deployed to the scene, where flames were engulfing many two-storey wooden houses and spread quickly to four-storey commercial buildings.
Firemen took more than three hours to put the fire under control. The blaze destroyed 40 wooden houses and 16 buildings.
One elderly woman was found burned to death in a wooden house, where the fire started, Thai media reported.
Namchok Thuengha, 65, owner of Namchok gold shop, said while he was sleeping at the building, he was woken up by the commotion. He rushed to open the door and found wooden houses behind his building engulfed in flames. The fire spread quickly to his building, prompting him to run for his safety, Thairath Online reported.
Police believed an electric short circuit might be the cause of the fire. They were investigating. Damage has yet to be estimated.
Firemen race against time to douse the fire that spread from wooden houses to nearby commercial buildings in the early hours of Saturday. (Photo by rescue volunteer Thanapong Wongkaew via Sawang Rattanatrai Saraburi rescue team Facebook page)