A cement truck became entangled in power lines and pulled down 43 electricity poles in Samut Prakan’s Muang district on Thursday night, leaving two injured people, three damaged vehicles and an area-wide blackout in its wake.
The incident occurred around 8pm on Puttharaksa Road in tambon Phraeksa, said Pol Lt Col Charin Im-am, inspector on duty at Bang Pu police station.
Police and rescue workers sent to the scene and reported a total of 43 power poles had been toppled along both sides of the road over a distance of 1.5 km. Poles had fallen on two pickup trucks and a six-wheel truck.
A cement mixer truck with a Nakhon Pathom licence plate was found parked in the middle of the road and driver Vorawut Panitkul, 25, was waiting at the scene.
One man was seriously burned by the falling wires and an elderly woman collapsed. They were both rushed to a nearby hospital.
The accident caused a widespread blackout. The Samut Prakan provincial electricity authority restored power to the area early this morning.
Police investigators reported that electricity lines crossing above the road had caught on the cement truck's mixer as it passed below. This dragged down power poles on both sides of the road, which is being widened at that point.
Mr Vorawut was held in police custody pending charges.
A toppled power pole blocks part of the road in Samut Prakan's Muang district on Thursday night. (Photo by Sutthiwit Chayutworakan)