Fire broke out again on Saturday afternoon at Klongthom Center in Bangkok, after a major blaze overnight caused extensive damage to the popular market for second-hand goods, electronics, spare parts and tools.
Black, grey and reddish-brown smoke began billowing from the top of the three-storey building at 2.30pm as firefighters deployed water trucks to contain hotspots and prevent flames from spreading.
Authorities are investigating materials that might have burned, and warning the public that the smoke may contain toxic gases or chemicals.
After inspecting the scene on Worachak Road in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the building could not be salvaged.
‘The damage is currently 100%, covering the entire four-rai site. Klongthom Center is probably no more,’ he said. ‘The structure will have to be demolished because it has been severely damaged.’
He said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) drone teams had surveyed the area, and images showed that the main building had completely collapsed from the inside.
Firefighters were using excavators to clear access routes and reach the interior to extinguish the remaining fires. The operation was being carried out with caution as the building’s structure had suffered extensive damage.
The market building contained various goods, including batteries, solar panels and some chemicals that could produce toxic substances when burned.
Smoke and dust from the fire also present a health hazard, with fine-dust particles, or PM2.5, measured at 630 microgrammes per cubic metre – considered extremely hazardous and far above Thailand’s national standard of 37.5 µg/m³.
People living or working near the site have been urged to wear protective N95 masks, while vulnerable groups should take extra precautions. The wind was expected to blow towards the northeast, the governor said.
An initial inspection found that a sprinkler system in the building had not operated during the fire. Further checks were required.
The fire started at 8.42pm on Friday. The building began to collapse at 10.16pm and the blaze was finally brought under control at 5.32am on Saturday, according to the BMA’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
The fire was believed to have started on the first floor, where large quantities of electronic equipment, audio systems, IT products, LED equipment, solar panels and automotive accessories were stored. The materials provided substantial fuel, causing the blaze to burn for an extended period.
Klongthom Center had about 300 shop stalls and an estimated 100 operators, as some traders operated more than one stall. About 70 operators have so far registered to report losses, while the BMA was collecting information and assessing the extent of the damage. The total value of losses has yet to be determined.
For affected people seeking assistance, the Pom Prap Sattru Phai district office set up a registration point at the Phra Phiren Temple pavilion.
From Sunday onwards, applications can be submitted to the administration section on the second floor of the district office, also from 8am to 4pm.
Nearby commercial buildings affected by the fire included an 88-room dormitory and a warehouse storing plastic goods and phone equipment.
Nine people were injured and taken to various hospitals: four suffered smoke inhalation, three sustained cuts from broken glass, one suffered a shoulder injury after being struck by a falling concrete slab, and one fell from a height and suffered pain in both legs.
Police have been asked to help secure the area because the site contained large quantities of goods that could be vulnerable to theft. The area has been designated a fire zone and outsiders are prohibited from entering.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also inspected the damaged site and received an update on the operation on Saturday.
The centre’s owner told Mr Anutin that the economic climate and competition from online commerce had taken a toll on the centre and he was not sure if the business could continue.
The building and its assets were insured, and compensation would be provided through the insurance process, Mr Anutin added.
Klongthom Center, built about three decades ago, is an indoor shopping complex developed from the historic Khlong Thom commercial area in central Bangkok, which is known for cheap goods, antiques, second-hand products, spare parts, tools and electronic equipment. The wider area has more than 500 shops.
In 2014, a government campaign to regulate street trading forced many vendors to move from public spaces into private premises and market buildings.