Fire at Chatuchak Market destroys 118 shops, kills 1,000 animals

[webfact]

A devastating fire broke out in the pet section of Chatuchak Market early this morning, destroying 118 shops and resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,000 animals. The fire, which started at around 4.30am, left employees scrambling for safety as thick smoke filled the area.

 

Deputy Inspector of Bang Sue Police Station, Police Lieutenant Natthaphong Piyananwanich, received the fire report and promptly coordinated a response with over ten fire engines and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation.

 

The fire occurred at the Sri Somrat Market area, a hub for pet and exotic fish shops. Despite the rapid response, the fire spread quickly, consuming all 118 shops in the vicinity.

 

Witnesses described the chaos as the fire erupted. A shop employee, 36 year old Meecha recounted her harrowing escape.

“I was sleeping in the loft above the shop when I heard the cries of various animals. Suddenly, thick smoke filled the air, making it impossible to breathe.”

 

She climbed through a window and jumped to safety. Meecha’s shop housed rare birds, including a prized cockatoo valued at 30,000 baht. The shop owner, informed of the incident, was on their way to the site.

 

Animals worth millions

 

Another shop owner, 54 year old Sakda expressed his relief that his shop across the road was spared. His shop specialises in imported exotic animals, with each animal valued upwards of 100,000 baht.

 

He mentioned that the affected shops sold similar items, with the fire originating from a corner shop that had recently transitioned from selling birds to small dog breeds such as poodles, Shih Tzus, and Pomeranians.

 

Sakda speculated that an electrical short circuit, possibly from a fan left running overnight for the dogs, might have sparked the blaze.

 

The aftermath

The fire caused significant loss of life among the animals, including ornamental fish, cats, dogs, and various exotic animals like swans, birds, and monkeys, all imported and highly valued. Fortunately, there were no human casualties reported.

 

The Chatuchak District Office has set up a registration desk for shop owners to document their losses, and officials from the Forensic Science Division are expected to investigate the cause of the fire further.

 

The incident has raised concerns about safety measures and the welfare of animals in such markets. The local community and officials are now focusing on assessing the damage and investigating to prevent future occurrences, reported Khaosod.

 

This tragic event underscores the vulnerability of such markets to fires and the devastating impact they can have on both human and animal lives. Chatuchak Market, known for its vast array of pets and exotic animals, now faces a significant recovery period as shop owners and officials work to rebuild and ensure better safety standards in the future.

 

by  Ryan Turner

Image courtesy of Khaosod

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-06-11

 

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[Mr Meeseeks]

Karma for the owners.

 

A real shame for all the animals that suffered and died in their cages. 

[proton]

14 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Karma for the owners.

 

A real shame for all the animals that suffered and died in their cages. 

 

karma is just for humans then? it's a fairy story there is no karma

[ChrisY1]

This entire "market" is a dreadful tinder box and has never improved. It's a claustrophobic place...and if I was there and fire broke out, I would have no idea which way to go...the rabbits had no chance!

[Georgealbert]

Update from Thai media.
 

“This morning, Bangkok Governor, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, inspected the damage in the pet zone of Chatuchak Market and offered support to the affected pet shop owners. Reports indicate that nearly 1,000 pets, including various species of birds, ornamental chickens, snakes, fish, and dogs, perished in the blaze.
 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set up a registration desk for victims to report their damages for compensation assessment.
 

Meanwhile, forensic officers are expected to investigate the cause of the fire. A security guard noticed the fire at 03:50 and attempted to extinguish it with fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful. The fire department was notified at 04:08 and arrived on the scene within six minutes. Firefighters battled the blaze for over an hour before it was brought under control.”

 

Video of the fire.

 

https://fb.watch/sDw9Ilcw2v/?

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

55 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set up a registration desk for victims to report their damages for compensation assessment.

 

Who is going to pay this 'compensation'? Surely not the taxpayer. 

 

Insurance policies should cover losses.

[nobodysfriend]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The fire caused significant loss of life among the animals, including ornamental fish, cats, dogs, and various exotic animals like swans, birds, and monkeys, all imported and highly valued.

 

Is that legal ?

It should be illegal .

[steven100]

I have been through that pet section many times and the merchandise shops selling anything & everything,  there is no sprinkler system,  no fire extinguishers,  no hoses ....  although there could possibly be hoses in some cabinets ....   but there is just nothing standing out ready to access in an emergency. 

 

also,  they needs to put signs up everywhere to show smoking at the Market is totally forbidden.   Smoking should not be allowed in the market anywhere ... period.  

 

When they rebuild it,  it must have a fire sprinkler system installed.  imo

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 11 by steven100

[Georgealbert]

14 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

 

Who is going to pay this 'compensation'? Surely not the taxpayer. 

 

Insurance policies should cover losses.

Since 2018 BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) has been the owners of Chatuchak Market, after the SRT (State Railway of Thailand) relinquished its control.

[JeffersLos]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Karma for the owners.

 

1 hour ago, proton said:

there is no karma

 

Karma police are here.

[Kinnock]

A cruel trade that should have been banned after the Middle Ages.  In addition to the suffering to the animals (even before the fire), there's the selling to unsuitable, irresponsible people plus the risk of diseases spreading to people and animals.

 

There's also the breeding and trafficking industry upstream of this shameless industry.

 

[Sunmaster]

1 hour ago, proton said:

 

karma is just for humans then? it's a fairy story there is no karma

It would be advisable to know what karma is before spouting nonsense.

[OneMoreFarang]

Were there any fire protection regulations in that market? Did anybody check them? Was there a day and night rapid response team or something like that?

Nobody who ever visited the market will be surprised by this fire.

 

RIP to all the innocent animals. I hope the dealers will go all bankrupt and never do it again. 

[Nickcage49]

How sad. Poor babies! Never had a chance.

[kwilco]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A devastating fire broke out in the pet section of Chatuchak Market early this morning, destroying 118 shops and resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,000 animals. The fire, which started at around 4.30am, left employees scrambling for safety as thick smoke filled the area.

 

Deputy Inspector of Bang Sue Police Station, Police Lieutenant Natthaphong Piyananwanich, received the fire report and promptly coordinated a response with over ten fire engines and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation.

 

The fire occurred at the Sri Somrat Market area, a hub for pet and exotic fish shops. Despite the rapid response, the fire spread quickly, consuming all 118 shops in the vicinity.

 

Witnesses described the chaos as the fire erupted. A shop employee, 36 year old Meecha recounted her harrowing escape.

“I was sleeping in the loft above the shop when I heard the cries of various animals. Suddenly, thick smoke filled the air, making it impossible to breathe.”

 

She climbed through a window and jumped to safety. Meecha’s shop housed rare birds, including a prized cockatoo valued at 30,000 baht. The shop owner, informed of the incident, was on their way to the site.

 

Animals worth millions

 

Another shop owner, 54 year old Sakda expressed his relief that his shop across the road was spared. His shop specialises in imported exotic animals, with each animal valued upwards of 100,000 baht.

 

He mentioned that the affected shops sold similar items, with the fire originating from a corner shop that had recently transitioned from selling birds to small dog breeds such as poodles, Shih Tzus, and Pomeranians.

 

Sakda speculated that an electrical short circuit, possibly from a fan left running overnight for the dogs, might have sparked the blaze.

 

The aftermath

The fire caused significant loss of life among the animals, including ornamental fish, cats, dogs, and various exotic animals like swans, birds, and monkeys, all imported and highly valued. Fortunately, there were no human casualties reported.

 

The Chatuchak District Office has set up a registration desk for shop owners to document their losses, and officials from the Forensic Science Division are expected to investigate the cause of the fire further.

 

The incident has raised concerns about safety measures and the welfare of animals in such markets. The local community and officials are now focusing on assessing the damage and investigating to prevent future occurrences, reported Khaosod.

 

This tragic event underscores the vulnerability of such markets to fires and the devastating impact they can have on both human and animal lives. Chatuchak Market, known for its vast array of pets and exotic animals, now faces a significant recovery period as shop owners and officials work to rebuild and ensure better safety standards in the future.

 

by  Ryan Turner

Image courtesy of Khaosod

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-06-11

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

The animals shouldn't have been there in the first place.

[BusNo8]

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Update from Thai media.
 

“This morning, Bangkok Governor, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, inspected the damage in the pet zone of Chatuchak Market and offered support to the affected pet shop owners. Reports indicate that nearly 1,000 pets, including various species of birds, ornamental chickens, snakes, fish, and dogs, perished in the blaze.
 

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has set up a registration desk for victims to report their damages for compensation assessment.
 

Meanwhile, forensic officers are expected to investigate the cause of the fire. A security guard noticed the fire at 03:50 and attempted to extinguish it with fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful. The fire department was notified at 04:08 and arrived on the scene within six minutes. Firefighters battled the blaze for over an hour before it was brought under control.”

 

Video of the fire.

 

https://fb.watch/sDw9Ilcw2v/?

 

Gotta say - pretty heads up action on all their part/s.

 

Well done.

[jcmj]

The sale of Rare and exotic wildlife should never have been allowed. These poor creatures never had a chance. I hope that this will help stop the sale of these animals. What else will it take for the authorities to crack down on this trade that is clearly happening in front of their eyes. Just sad. 

[Photoguy21]

4 hours ago, proton said:

 

karma is just for humans then? it's a fairy story there is no karma

Proof please that it does not exist.

[proton]

22 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Proof please that it does not exist.

 

Pol Pot and Stalin as well as Mao responsible for over 100 million deaths all died in their bedrooms. It's up to claims for karma to prove it.

[digger70]

3 hours ago, Sunmaster said:

It would be advisable to know what karma is before spouting nonsense.

Who's Spouting? 

What is the true meaning of karma?

Hinduism identifies karma as the relationship between a person's mental or physical action and the consequences following that action. It also signifies the consequences of all the actions of a person in their current and previous lives and the chain of cause and effect in morality.Nov 22, 2565 BE

[Photoguy21]

40 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Pol Pot and Stalin as well as Mao responsible for over 100 million deaths all died in their bedrooms. It's up to claims for karma to prove it.

That does not prove Karma just proves those people were mass murderes

[champers]

1 hour ago, BusNo8 said:

 

Gotta say - pretty heads up action on all their part/s.

 

Well done.

They own this place so maybe not so well done.

[Thingamabob]

Tragic for the poor animals. They should never have been there in the first place. RIP.

[Georgealbert]

This is CCTV of when the fire is first seen, and shows that it develops quickly.

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw44gm303wro

 

 

The incident prompted renewed calls for authorities to shut the pet zone, which has long been criticised for the animals' poor living conditions and has reportedly led to high rates of disease and death.

 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/11/fire-at-thailands-famous-market-kills-hundreds-of-exotic-animals-pets

 

The pet zone has long provoked criticism for the poor conditions in which some of the animals are kept.

Wildlife organisations have also accused some vendors of involvement in the trafficking of rare and endangered species, such as turtles, tortoises and birds.

Thailand has tight penalties for wildlife traffickers and regularly conducts raids aimed at cracking down on the illegal trade.

 

Keep it closed .

Do not give permission to open the ' pet zone ' again !

Edited June 11 by nobodysfriend

[champers]

14 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw44gm303wro

 

 

The incident prompted renewed calls for authorities to shut the pet zone, which has long been criticised for the animals' poor living conditions and has reportedly led to high rates of disease and death.

Global publicity. Not a good look.

[Georgealbert]

Some post fire pictures of the extensive damage.

 

Edited June 11 by Georgealbert

[Hanuman2547]

So sad that these animals had to suffer before their death.  Chatuchak has always been a firetrap waiting to happen.  

[Hanuman2547]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

 

A security guard noticed the fire at 03:50 and attempted to extinguish it with fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful. The fire department was notified at 04:08 and arrived on the scene within six minutes. Firefighters battled the blaze for over an hour before it was brought under control.”

 

Video of the fire.

 

https://fb.watch/sDw9Ilcw2v/?

It's too bad that the security guard didn't contact the fire department sooner.  Yes, he tried to extinguish the fire but was not able to do so.  18 minutes elapsed between the time the fire was detected and the fire department was contacted.  

 

Always love the photo ops of the high level officials arriving on scene (many hours later) and in this case smartly dressed and in high heels.  Looks like she's ready to grab a hose and help out.

[Mr Meeseeks]

10 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Since 2018 BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) has been the owners of Chatuchak Market, after the SRT (State Railway of Thailand) relinquished its control.

 

So then the insurance policies that the BMA have should pay.

 

Not the Thai taxpayer.