PT Station Disaster

[Rotweiler]

On Tuesday afternoon, there was a freak micro-storm about 4 km from Wiang Pa Pao.  The female attendants of the petrol station ran for cover when the storm started - unfortunately they ran in what turned-out to the the wrong direction.  One was killed, two seriously injured.

[Puchaiyank]

Who knows the right way to run when a freak storm quickly appears?

[damascase]

Perhaps you could add some details to your report to help us understand what happened? 

[bodga]

Seeing Thai construction shortcuts  does  not  fill me with confidence in any way.

[Rotweiler]

The flat roof covering the pump stations (see the pictures) was lifted off in the storm.  The 3 girls manning the pumps ran for it - unfortunately for them, toward the nearest building, the Max Mart.  The roof landed on them as they were running.

 

The two injured will be ok eventually, according to my source at the hospital, but were severely injured.  The girl who was killed was 24.

 

Before you start attacking construction techniques - this the the Wiang Pa Pao Valley and has some of the strangest weather in all of Northern Thailand.  Seven years ago our area was hit and 18 columns knocked down - 2 across our front gate.   We heard the micro-burst about 15 seconds before it hit.  Our neighbour's roof (heavy fibre tile) went off in two pieces with one of them landing in our front yard.

[Rotweiler]

I should have added - look at the pump island columns - you will see some of them are bent.  They are steel-reinforced concrete.  The column for the sign out front that contained the various fuel prices  stayed upright - but the actual sign is gone (centre-left, lower image).