NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: A 62-year-old woman died as fire swept through her shop, stocked with flammable construction materials, in Hua Sai district in the early hours of Wednesday.
The fire was at Pongpakdi Karnkha shop, a three-storey commercial building in tambon Sai Khao, said Pol Lt Col Chaiwut Sriwilert, investigation chief at Hua Sai police station. It was reported around 2.30am.
Fire trucks and crews from surrounding areas fought the flames, which raged through the first-floor of the building, where paints and PVC pipes were kept. It took them more than half an hour to bring the blaze under control.
When firemen entered the premises they found the charred body of a dead woman, identified later as shop owner Boonphuan Na Nakhon, 62.
Pol Col Chokdee Srimuang, chief of Hua Sai police, said Ms Boonphuan stayed alone in the shop. Her husband was sick and being treated in a hospital. She slept on the third floor. Her children lived in another house about 200 metres away.
When the fire started, neighbours saw the flames on the first floor and began shouting out to the shop owner to wake up. They said they tried to help, but were kept at bay by the fierce heat of the fire, said Pol Col Chokdee.
Police speculate that the woman woke up, went downstairs and tried to leave the burning building, but was overcome by the smoke and flames.
Pol Col Pakdee said it was possible an electrical short circuit caused of the fire. Forensic examiners would find the exact cause.
A neighbour said there had been an earlier fire at the shop, in 2019. It started during the day. No-one was hurt and local residents and firemen extinguished the blaze.
(Photo by Nujaree Raekrun)