A woman was killed and seven others injured in an explosion caused by a cooking gas leak at a townhouse in Muang district of Pathum Thani province on Saturday morning.
The incident occurred at Phanason housing estate on Pathum Thani-Lat Lum Kaeo Road in tambon Ban Chang, said Pol Maj Chaiphat Areewong, investigation chief at Pathum Thani’s Muang police station, who was notified around 7am on Saturday.
Police, firemen, and rescue workers arrived at the scene of an explosion that originated from a two-storey townhouse, with flames engulfing the building. The blast also caused damage to two nearby row houses.
Firemen took about 40 minutes to control the fire. Officials from the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) cut power in the area.
Rescue workers found several people suffering from burns and blast injuries. Five injured were transported to Pathum Thani Hospital, while two others refused to leave, concerned about their property.
Phetkamon Bamrung, a 64-year-old townhouse owner, was killed in the explosion. She was found dead in the kitchen of the house.
The explosion also caused structural damage to walls and roofs and destroyed several vehicles, including a pickup truck, a car and seven to eight motorcycles.
Neighbour Somkuan Chatwong, 52, said he heard a loud explosion before his ceiling collapsed. His house, which was also damaged, operated as a beauty salon and was occupied by three people. Four people were in his house, while the adjacent house, also damaged, was unoccupied at the time.
Pol Capt Decha Chanthachart, deputy inspector of Pathum Thani’s Muang police station, said preliminary reports indicated a cooking gas cylinder exploded, triggering a fire that damaged the house and spread to nearby houses.
Authorities were investigating to determine the exact cause.
Scene sealed off
Police said the area had been sealed off to prevent unauthorised access, as the interior structure remains hot and at risk of collapsing. Due to the nature of the townhouse layout and the force of the explosion, neighbouring structures may also have sustained cracks or instability.
Once the inside temperature decreases to a safe level, the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning will inspect the building to assess structural safety and damages.
In addition ,the Tambon Ban Chang Administrative Organisation had set up a relief centre to register victims, provide temporary shelter and explore assistance options.