A fire broke out in a three-storey residential building in Bueng Kum district of Bangkok on Saturday, destroying 16 houses and injuring two people.
The incident at Nawamin Soi 24 was reported to police at 6.50am, said Pol Lt Treenaet Suwannang, deputy investigation officer at the Bueng Kum station.
Flames and a substantial amount of smoke were observed on the third floor of the building before spreading rapidly to adjacent residences. Fire crews took about 30 minutes to bring the blaze under control.
An initial damage assessment revealed a total of 16 houses affected, with eight of them sustaining severe damage.
Two people residing in one of the houses suffered injuries from burns on their back and arms. They were taken to nearby hospitals.
After questioning witnesses, Pol Lt Treenaet said that people in the building where the fire originated regularly conducted religious rituals in a shrine room. The owner of the house is about 80 years old, with impaired hearing, and is often visited by his followers.
According to witnesses, the elderly owner was sleeping on the first floor and presumed a power outage had occurred. After neighbours grew concerned, they checked his residence and discovered a fire in the shrine room.
Pol Lt Treenaet said the homeowner told police that the last time he went into the shrine room was on Friday.
Police are still investigating the cause of the blaze.