PHAYAO: A fire broke out at a garbage dump belonging to Romyen tambon administration organisation (TAO) in Chiang Kham district on Saturday night, blanketing nearby villages in smoke.
Somchit Futham, the TAO chairman, said the fire started at about 8.30pm in the 17-rai garbage dump. The garbage is collected from 22 villages in tambon Romyen.
Four fire engines from four TAOs in the area were dispatched to the site to contain the fire, which covered villages in the vicinity with a thick layer of smoke.
The fire was quickly brought under control.
Songsak Hanboonsri, a Romyen TAO member, said this was the third time a fire had broken out in the garbage dump. He said this served as a warning to the TAO to keep employees on duty overnight to prevent a recurrence of the fire.
Pol Capt Sithichok Buadaeng, a Chiang Kham police investigator, said police were investigating.