PATHUM THANI — A dump truck delivering soil in Khlong Luang district snagged overhead electricity wires with its raised tray and caused a power cut in eight villages, police said.
Photos by Pongpat Wongyala
Police said the bed of the dump truck stayed up after the driver, Mark Praichimplee, 52, had deposited a load of soil on a property on Liab Khlong Song Road in Moo 14 village of tambon Khlong Song about 1pm and was leaving the site.
Mr Mark told police he was about to enter the road when the dump tray rose without being engaged, causing it to strike the electrical wires on a utility pole. This pulled down the pole and 11 others. The poles are 12 metres high
One of the downed power poles damaged a concrete mixer truck that was passing by at the time, prompting the driver, Suthin Rachadee, 24, to flee in fear of being electrocuted, police said.
The incident caused a blackout in wide residential areas covering Moo 8 to Moo 15 villages and had affected numerous cold storage businesses there.
The Provincial Electricity Authority officials said they had cut off power supply in the affected areas to prevent people from being electrocuted and were repairing the lines to restore electricity and reopen the road. Initial damage costs were estimated at one million baht.
