Shocked pedestrians looked on in horror as cables caught fire at lunchtime today outside KKP Tower in Bangkok. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

 

Auxiliary firefighters dashed to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire as shocked lunchtime onlookers watched in awe as sparks turned into a blaze and rubber dripped dangerously onto the pavement below on Soi Sukhumvit 21, Khlong Toei Nuea, Wattana.

 

One observer, Darren Lyons, admitted he was alarmed by the incident, adding that the capital’s hanging cables were an “accident waiting to happen.” The 37 year old Englishman said…

 

“I was out buying lunch from a nearby market when the blaze sparked. It’s hardly surprising though. There are thousands of metres of hanging cables throughout Bangkok. It’s only a matter of time before they all catch fire. It’s an accident waiting to happen.

 

“The government promised to bury all of the city’s cables almost 40 years ago and there they are, still hanging dangerously above our heads. It’s about time they fulfilled their promise.”

 

The project to bury Bangkok’s hanging cables began in 1984. Since then about 60 kilometres of its 236 kilometres of cables have been buried.

 

By Bob Scott

Caption: Video and pictures courtesy of Darren Lyons

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/national/fiery-cables-ignite-chaos-but-bangkok-pedestrians-escape-fire-unscathed-video

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-06-28

 

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Buried cables, hungry rats and flooded Asoke and you'll see what "accident waiting to happen" really means...

Having spent many years in overhead cabling I can say the stress on that pole is incredible and could go twang in an instant with a chain effect streets away pedestrians beware ????

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“The government promised to bury all of the city’s cables almost 40 years ago and there they are, still hanging dangerously above our heads. It’s about time they fulfilled their promise.”

They've been busy with other priorities... self enrichment and status movement.

14 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Buried cables, hungry rats and flooded Asoke and you'll see what "accident waiting to happen" really means...

Many countries have buried all their cables and don't have these issues at all.