118 Chatuchak Market shops destroyed in fire, around 1,000 animals burned alive

Fire engulfs 118 Chatuchak Market, destroying 118 shops & killing numerous animals

A fire erupted at Thailand’s famed Chatuchak Market at around 4am on Tuesday (11 June), destroying over a hundred shops and claiming numerous animal lives.

The blaze is suspected to have originated in a dog shop.

Thankfully, there have been no reports of human injuries or casualties.

Over 100 shops & around 1,000 animals burned in fire

MGR Online reported that the fire tore through Chatuchak Market’s pet zone, where thousands of animals were housed for sale.

10 fire trucks, accompanied by firefighters, rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the flames within an hour.

According to Khaosod, 118 shops were destroyed and around 1,000 animals were burned alive.

Ms Meecha, a 36-year-old employee, recalled hearing the animals’ cries and seeing thick smoke while sleeping on the mezzanine floor of a shop.

She was compelled to escape by jumping out of a window due to the smoke’s suffocating effect.

The woman noted that the shop had an expensive rare species of bird worth 30,000 baht (S$1,100). She has since reported the incident to the shop owner.

Mr Sakda, a 56-year-old shop owner whose establishment stood opposite the site of the incident, was relieved to find his exotic animals, worth over 10 million baht (S$368,000), unharmed.

However, the devastation was profound for others.

Ms Nattanicha Kanjanakitjaroen, the owner of a snake shop, tragically lost nearly all her snakes, with only 10 surviving.

The estimated financial loss amounted to around 2 million baht (S$74,000).

Blaze sparked by electrical short circuit

Mr Sakda asserted that the fire originated from a shop selling small dogs, speculating that an electrical short circuit was the likely cause.

The owners purportedly left electric fans on throughout the night to ensure the dogs’ comfort.

Additionally, he highlighted that the market’s animals were imported from foreign countries and were collectively worth millions of baht.

To aid affected shop owners, the district office in Chatuchak has set up a registration desk for them to report the losses incurred by their businesses.

Furthermore, Police Forensic Science officers are conducting a thorough investigation to determine the precise cause of the fire.

Also read: Huge fireball emerges over JB factory as blaze engulfs industrial building

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Featured image adapted from MRG Online and สำนักงานเขตจตุจักร on Facebook.