NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A woman was killed by her own car after she apparently forgot to apply the handbrake and it rolled into her as she shut the gate at her home on Tuesday night.

Emergency services were called at about 10pm.

They found a green Mazda car blocking the road in front of a house, and a woman trapped under the rear wheels.

Rescuers used a jack to raise the car and release her, but she died before she could be taken to hospital. The woman was identified as Phatthakorn Kwaktha, 57, a retired nurse. 

A neighbour told police he heard a loud noise, like something hitting a house gate. He ran out to see what had happened and saw Ms Phatthakorn's car stopped on the road in front of her house.

He used a flashlight to check and found Ms Phatthakorn trapped under the back of her car. He called other neighbours for assistance, but they were unable to help her.

Police said later they learned that Ms Phattakorn had arrived home in her car. She drove inside the grounds and when she parked had apparently forgotten to apply the handbrake. 

Investigators believed the car started rolling backwards towards the gate as she closed it. She was trapped under the car, unable to stop it, as it crashed through the gate and out onto the road.