The well-known Klongthom Center of tools, electronic devices, car audio systems and accessories, toys, models and home appliances started to collapse after hours of burning on Friday night. Fire was put under control afterwards.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration reported that the fire started at 8.42pm at the three-storey building which had a steel structure. The centre stood on a land plot of about 1,600 square metres on Worachak Road in Pomprap Sattruphai district. The district office reported that the building started to collapse at 10.16pm.
At 10.30pm Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at the scene that the building which was on a steel structure risked collapsing under extreme heat and parts of its roof and structure started to fall. He said no one was trapped inside the building and firefighters from many units were trying to prevent the fire from expanding to nearby properties.
Detectives assumed that the fire started on the first floor where there were shops and stores which burnt fiercely, he said.
According to the Bangkok governor, firefighters were trying to contain the blaze from the outside of Klongthom Center for their own safety and its façade wall blocked water from firefighters.
The Pomprap Sattruphai district office said the blaze was put under control at 11.13pm, over two hours after it had erupted.
Klongthom Center was built about three decades ago and was well-known for wholesale and retail of electronic devices. There were about 500 shops.