SAMUT PRAKAN: An Indian man died from burns suffered in a petrol-fuelled fire he is believed to have started himself in his apartment room in Muang district on Monday night. police said.
Pol Lt Adithep Phocharoen, a duty officer, said the fire was reported about 10.30pm. It was in room 5201 on the second floor of a six-storey apartment building on Phuttharaksa road in tambon Thai Ban Mai.
Police and rescuers from Nakhon Samut Prakan Municipality were rushed to the scene. In the room they found Thiruvadi Mari Prakash, 32, lying on a mattress. He had serious burns all over his body, but was still alive.
He was given first-aid and then rushed to Samut Prakan Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police said the room reeked of petrol fumes. A blue plastic container still held some burning gasoline and there was a lighter near it. The plastic cover of the air-conditioner had melted from the heat of the fire, which had also shattered a glass door at the back of the room.
The evidence pointed to the man having committed suicide.
A man who lived in the room opposite told police that Prakash was a superviser at Malaplast Company in Bang Poo area. He had lived alone in the room for three years.
Two weeks ago Prakash had been unwell and was admitted to Paolo Samut Prakan Hospital, where he tested negative for Covid-19. He returned to work after being released, but did not show up at his office on Saturday.
On Monday night, he heard an explosion in Prakash's room and saw flames from under the door. He called another co-worker to come from the 5th floor. They broke open the door and found the room in flames.
Other residents came with chemical extinguishers to help. They put out the flames in about 10 minutes. Prakash was still on his bed, alive but badly burned.
Forensic police were examining the room to establish the cause of the fire.