TRAT — One man was injured and nine houses and shops damaged after a truck pulled communication cables, which in turn brought down 13 power poles in Trat’s Muang district on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred at an intersection near Khlong Yai district on Sukhumvit Road in tambon Wang Krajae, said Pol Lt Yom Promsart, a duty officer at Muang police station, who was alerted around 5am on Saturday.
Police and rescue workers rushed to the scene and found 13 power poles on both sides of the road were pulled down. A number of houses and shophouses were damaged and one injured man was rescued from his shophouse. He sustained leg injuries when one of the power poles fell down on his shophouse and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
A police investigation found that a truck loaded with chemicals had hooked communication cables that passed over the road. This brought down the power poles on both sides of the road. The incident caused a widespread blackout in several areas.
The truck driver drove on to Khlong Yai district and was later stopped by local police. The truck belonged to Sor Kritawan pier.
Driver Boonmee Chomta was held in police custody for legal action.
Direk Suebson, head of Trat provincial electricity authority’s power maintenance section, on Saturday led 50 electricians with equipment to the scene.
He said a total of 13 power poles were damaged and new poles would be installed. Damage to the power utilities was estimated at one million bath, he said.
Vorani Mittaharat, chief of Muang district, led local leaders to survey the damage to the houses and shops. He said nine houses were damaged, some very badly. Damage to the houses had yet to be estimated.
Chuang Tanamtiang, 55, one of affected residents, said he and his wife were opening their shop when they heard the sound of an electric short circuit. Suddenly, they saw a power pole falling on their shop, prompting them to run for their own safety. The couple narrowly escaped injuries, but their shop was badly damaged,