Fire Truck Engulfed in Flames While Responding to Blaze in Roi Et

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture from responders.

 

In a dramatic turn of events, a fire truck dispatched to extinguish a raging field fire on January 31, in Roi Et was itself consumed by flames after becoming trapped in difficult off road terrain.

 

The incident occurred at approximately 13:30 in Don Chad Field, Saowae Subdistrict, Nong Hi District, Roi Et Province. Firefighters from the Saowae Subdistrict Administrative Organisation (SAO) had been called to tackle a spreading fire in a rice field, which was threatening to engulf a wider area.

 

As the fire truck navigated a narrow dirt rural road to reach the scene, it was travelling through smoke to reach the fire and drove off the road and became stuck in the uneven terrain. Before the crew could attempt to free the vehicle, strong winds and intense flames surged towards the immobilised truck, quickly engulfing it.

 

Faced with the rapidly intensifying blaze, the firefighters were forced to abandon their vehicle and run to safety. Within minutes, the entire fire truck was ablaze, rendering it completely unusable.

 

Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the firefighters, who managed to escape the flames in time. However, the fire truck sustained total damage, representing a major setback for local firefighting efforts.

 

The cause of the initial field fire remains under investigation, though authorities suspect that dry conditions and strong winds contributed to its rapid spread.

 

Local officials have urged farmers and residents to exercise extreme caution when burning agricultural waste or engaging in any activity that could spark wildfires. Firefighters are also being advised to assess terrain accessibility before deploying vehicles in high-risk areas.

 

This unexpected loss of critical firefighting equipment has highlighted the challenges faced by emergency responders in rural Thailand, where difficult terrain and strong winds can quickly turn routine operations into life-threatening situations.

 

Authorities are now working to secure a replacement fire truck for the Saowae Subdistrict to ensure that emergency response capabilities are not compromised in future incidents.

 

-- 2025-02-01

 

 

[MangoKorat]

10 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Local officials have urged farmers and residents to exercise extreme caution when burning agricultural waste

They don't do that anymore - remember?

 

Sorry but I'm struggling to keep a straight face - a fire truck bursts into flames on its way to deal with a fire, you just couldn't make this stuff up, could you?

17 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

Before the crew could attempt to free the vehicle, strong winds and intense flames surged towards the immobilised truck, quickly engulfing it.

Later, Mr Somchai Laurel and Mr Saman Hardy stated they felt lucky to be alive.

[Georgealbert]

8 minutes ago, MangoKorat said:

They don't do that anymore - remember?

 

Sorry but I'm struggling to keep a straight face - a fire truck bursts into flames on its way to deal with a fire, you just couldn't make this stuff up, could you?

Later, Mr Somchai Laurel and Mr Saman Hardy stated they felt lucky to be alive.

Happens all around the world, as that is a risk in a challenging and developing fire situation.

 

So you think it is funny, that firefighters almost die protecting their communities?

 

Firefighting is easy sat behind a keyboard, giving a unqualified opinion based on no experience, but don’t let that stop you showing contempt for those facing it for real.

[MangoKorat]

7 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

So you think it is funny, that firefighters almost die protecting their communities?

Calm down, it doesn't do for a man of your age to go getting so upset.

[fredwiggy]

I don't think he thought it was funny that the firefighters were at risk. Just the irony of a fire truck catching fire. Yes, it does happen all over the world, as the Los Angeles fires attest. Firefighters and citizens die every year from out of control fires. Building homes in arid areas with not enough protection from water accesses, arson and unsafe practices, like the illegal burning that goes on here countrywide daily are what has fires start, and get out of control. Having old, worn out equipment doesn't help either, but there are enough billionaires here that make money using others, taking advantage of others or do actually nothing useful at all, that could pay for this kind of problem. No excuses that a government can't fund things that help their citizens.

[Gottfrid]

How suitable.

[steven100]

oh dear Georgealbert,   this is very serious, it's thankful the firefighters got out of the fire's path.  Firefighting is always fought with dangerous situations and here's an example.  

 

I hope someone can donate a new fire truck for them if that's the only one they had in the area. 

[Captor]

So the farmers are allowed to burn if they are careful.... Karma!

[soalbundy]

It's in the name....fire truck.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

Sorry but I'm struggling to keep a straight face - a fire truck bursts into flames on its way to deal with a fire

It didn't just "burst into flames" it got stuck in a field, not on fire, but was caught in the oncoming flames.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Happens all around the world, as that is a risk in a challenging and developing fire situation.

 

So you think it is funny, that firefighters almost die protecting their communities?

 

Firefighting is easy sat behind a keyboard, giving a unqualified opinion based on no experience, but don’t let that stop you showing contempt for those facing it for real.

Well said.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

I hope someone can donate a new fire truck for them if that's the only one they had in the area. 

Perhaps the insurer will.

[CallumWK]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Perhaps the insurer will.

 

Doesn't that depend on the kind of insurance policy they subscribed to?

[Liverpool Lou]

11 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

17 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Perhaps the insurer will.

 

Doesn't that depend on the kind of insurance policy they subscribed to?

Obviously, hence "perhaps". 

 

In the highly unlikely event that there is no insurance cover, the local municipality will probably have a budget for that equipment.

[Woke to Sounds of Horking]

Oh... the irony!!

[Captain Flack]

An off topic trolling rant and the replies have been removed.

 

This topic is “Fire Truck Engulfed in Flames While Responding to Blaze in Roi Et”, and as far as I know CA is not part of Isaan. If you want to discuss CA there are topic open in the world news.

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

As the fire truck navigated a narrow dirt rural road to reach the scene, it was travelling through smoke to reach the fire and drove off the road and became stuck in the uneven terrain. Before the crew could attempt to free the vehicle, strong winds and intense flames surged towards the immobilised truck, quickly engulfing it.

The farmers going to get more than he bargained for in this burning issue.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Captor said:

So the farmers are allowed to burn if they are careful.... Karma!

Which is why it continues....

[MangoKorat]

8 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

I don't think he thought it was funny that the firefighters were at risk. Just the irony of a fire truck catching fire.

Correct, and of course, firefighters all over the world are some of the bravest people around.

 

I would state though, that I suspect a degree of 'journalistc licence' was applied in the style of reporting in this case. Given the type of fire, I doubt the firefighters were in any particular danger on this occasion. I suspect they managed to get the truck stuck and simply had to abandon it.  This was not a blazing inferno high rise buidling, its a field where agricultural waste was being burned, probably illegally. 

 

It is likley that nearby unharvested crops were threatened so the fire department were called.  Last month I was up in deepest Isaan and saw a field well ablaze - farm workers were walking around in the field at will and a tractor was being used to push waste into the fire - right into it. They didn't appear to be in any danger and obviously didn't feel they were either.

 

Critics might note that despite the supposed 'intense flames' there are trees in the photo accompanying the report with their leaves still intact.

 

Its a bit like a report on the recent Thai airways emergency landing in Phuket which in one source (not Asean Now) was reported as 'Near Disaster Averted: Thai Airline Flight's Dramatic Engine Failure and Heroic Crew Response.' . That repoort also carried a photo of an airliner with a large hole in the fuselage for effect - it was an unrelated photo.  Yes, it was less than ideal that the aircraft had to land on one engine but I don't believe either the crew or pasengers were in any real danger - it was 'good press' though.

 

Its 'journalistic licence' and I believe a degree of that was applied in the original version of this story. Such 'licence' is very often used by journalists the world over but moreso it seems, in Asia.

 

People here should chill out and not jump to conclusions so quickly.  Most of here know Thailand very well I think.