A mother’s quick warning saved her family as fire ripped through their Chiang Mai wooden home before firefighters stopped the blaze reaching nearby houses. Police suspect an electrical short circuit caused the inferno, leaving about ฿800,000 damage.
A family narrowly escaped with their lives after a fast-moving fire ripped through their wooden Chiang Mai home, sending neighbours fleeing with their belongings and forcing firefighters into a desperate hour-long battle to stop the flames engulfing nearby houses. The property was destroyed, damage is estimated at about 800,000 baht and police are investigating a suspected electrical short circuit after the occupants escaped only because the homeowner’s wife spotted smoke and raised the alarm moments before the blaze took hold.
A family escaped moments before fire tore through their wooden home in Chiang Mai’s Saraphi district on Thursday morning. Police suspect an electrical short circuit triggered the blaze. The house was destroyed despite a sustained firefighting operation.
Police at Saraphi Police Station received the emergency call at about 11.30 am on 30 July. Within minutes, officers coordinated a full emergency response. Firefighters from Yang Noeng Subdistrict Municipality and Ku Suea Subdistrict Municipality rushed to the house in Yang Noeng subdistrict.
By the time crews arrived, flames were already sweeping across the roof. Thick fire and smoke towered above the property. Meanwhile, the blaze gathered pace through the wooden structure. Residents watched as the flames intensified. Firefighters immediately attacked the fire from several sides.
Firefighters stop flames reaching nearby homes after family escapes and wooden house is destroyed
The rapidly growing blaze sent neighbours scrambling from nearby homes. Many grabbed whatever belongings they could carry before retreating to safety. At the same time, others helped family members leave the area. Panic spread through the community as firefighters worked to stop the advancing flames.
For about one hour, crews battled the fire in difficult conditions. Eventually, they brought the blaze under control. More importantly, they prevented it from spreading to neighbouring houses. However, the wooden home could not be saved. The building was completely gutted.
Police identified the owner as 69-year-old Boonma Chitban. Fortunately, every occupant escaped without injury. Investigators then began assessing the damage. Preliminary losses were estimated at about 800,000 baht. Separately, police confirmed the property was not insured.
Attention quickly turned to the cause of the fire. Witnesses told investigators they believed an electrical short circuit sparked the blaze. Notably, the homeowner did not dispute that assessment. Even so, officers continued examining the scene before reaching a final conclusion.
Family member recalls mother’s alarm after she saw smoke as police examine a suspected electrical fault
A family member later described the dramatic moments before the fire erupted. He said he had been working at a house across the road. His father was working in the garden behind the home. Inside the house, his mother suddenly noticed smoke. She immediately raised the alarm.
Her warning proved critical. As a result, the family escaped before the flames swept through the house. Within minutes, the roof was engulfed and the fire had taken hold. Firefighters continued pouring water onto the burning structure until the last hotspots were extinguished.
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Afterwards, police examined the remains of the gutted house while investigators documented the damage. In parallel, officials continued calculating the financial losses. The final assessment had not been completed on Thursday. The investigation into the suspected electrical fault remains ongoing.
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Thailand changes tack as EV revolution turns into a damp squib with warehouses full of unsold cars
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