Two people died and numerous pet cats were killed after a fire broke out at a luxury housing estate in Thailand shortly before midnight on 16 Aug.
Bang Si Mueang Police Station officers received reports of the blaze shortly after midnight at a two-storey detached house in Bang Si Mueang subdistrict, Mueang Nonthaburi district.
Firefighters, together with rescuers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, rushed to the scene and spent more than 30 minutes bringing the fire under control.
The fire had engulfed the second floor of the house, leaving the entire upper level badly damaged.
Once the flames were extinguished, authorities found a man and a woman dead on a bed inside an upstairs bedroom.
The pair were reportedly husband and wife, although their identities had not yet been confirmed at the time of reporting.
Source: Khaosod
A 20-litre fuel container was found near the staircase leading to the second floor, while a charcoal brazier was discovered inside the bathroom.
The bathroom door was also reportedly found locked.
Although the ground floor had escaped direct fire damage, investigators reportedly found petrol spread across the floor, while a strong smell of fuel lingered throughout the house.
A room at the back of the house was reportedly used to keep around 30 cats, including Persian and Scottish Fold breeds.
Many suffered smoke inhalation during the fire. Rescuers carried the cats outside and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), with two reported to have survived.
Source: Daily News
The exact number of cats killed remains unclear. One account said around 30 cats had been inside, while another reported that eight dead cats were found after the fire.
Cham Lao-tum (name transliterated from Thai), a firefighter with the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, said his team initially did not know that anyone was trapped inside and focused on stopping the flames from spreading.
He said firefighters were unable to enter the room where the victims were found and had to use a ladder to inspect the area from outside.
Mr Cham added that he saw a large fuel container and tried spraying water towards it, after which an explosion occurred.
The blaze eventually spread across the second floor, with the bedroom area suffering some of the heaviest damage.
A 24-year-old neighbour, identified only as Ms A, said she first heard what sounded like a heavy object falling before seeing smoke coming from the house.
She initially thought there had been an explosion, but later realised the loud noise had come from part of the ceiling above the car porch collapsing.
Ms A said that when neighbours came outside, one of the first things they noticed was a strong smell of fuel.
Source: Khaosod
Neighbours tried calling the homeowners but were unable to reach them.
As the situation worsened, they contacted the fire department, police, and rescue services for help.
Security guards later arrived to assess the situation, before the heat from the blaze caused the windows of the affected room to shatter.
According to Ms A, only the married couple lived in the house, together with their cats.
She said the incident appeared to have begun at around 11.50pm, with smoke emerging from the property before visible flames developed.
Thotsaphon Fakprapai (name transliterated from Thai), Secretary to the Mayor of Bang Si Mueang Municipality, said fuel inside the house made it more difficult for firefighters to reach the second floor.
As crews sprayed water, the fuel reportedly flowed with it, making the staircase harder to access.
Firefighters nevertheless managed to bring the blaze under control after more than 30 minutes.
Police are working with forensic officers to examine the scene and determine the exact cause of the fire, as well as the circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths.