Police investigators on Monday could not reach the point of origin amid the debris of the fire that destroyed the Klongthom Center in Bangkok last week because two upper floors had collapsed on top of it. Arson has still not been ruled out.
Forensic science commander Pol Maj Gen Wathee Asawutmangkun said the fire on Friday night was believed to have started on the first floor of the Klongthom Center. However, the two parking floors above had collapsed on top of it and prevented access.
‘These structures must be removed to make way for a thorough examination,’ he said.
A drone-assisted survey pointed to the fire originating in an area where electronic devices were sold, the forensic police commander said.
Pol Maj Gen Chaiyakrit Pho-ah, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 6, said they had not ruled out arson. The centre was insured, but they had yet to check the details of the policy.
So far, 170 damaged parties had filed complaints with officials, he said.
The Klongthom Center was well-known for selling tools, electronic devices, car audio systems and accessories, toys, models and home appliances. The three-decade-old shopping centre covered about 1,600 square metres of land on Worachak Road in Pomprap Sattruphai district. It housed about 500 shops.
The section of Worachak Road between SAB and Worachak intersections in front of the centre was closed for another day on Monday to facilitate forensic police access.