A rescue worker and his uncle were killed and his wife seriously burned when fire destroyed their townhouse in Chom Thong district of Bangkok in the early hours of Thursday.
The fire in soi 30 off Ekkachai Road in Bang Khunthian district was reported around 1.30am, Pol Maj Thianphat Klajai, investigation chief at Bang Khunthian police station, said.
The fire began on the ground floor and had spread to the second floor by the time firefighters arrived. It took them about 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control. An adjoining townhouse was also damaged by the spreading flames, reports said.
Two men were later found dead on the second floor of the house. They were house owner Kittiphong Sondee, 36, a rescue worker for the Ruam Katanyu foundation, and his uncle, aged 55-60 and whose name was not reported.
Kittiphong's wife Ratchanok Sondee, 36, survived but sustained serious burns to her body. She was found on the ground beside the house and rushed to Samut Sakhon Hospital, Thai news media reported.
A neighbour told police that Kittiphong, his wife and his uncle lived in the house. The neighbour first saw smoke coming from the first floor, and then flames that quickly engulfed the house.
The blaze was fierce and he and other neighbours who wanted to help were unable to go inside, he said. Ms Ratchanok had jumped to the ground from a window on the second floor, he said.
The cause of the fire was being investigated