Picture from responders.

 

A fire swept through a residential area in Pattaya, Chonburi, on the afternoon of 14 February, reducing three homes to ashes and leaving families homeless. The fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, broke out in a densely populated community behind the Pattaya Housing Estate on Thepprasit Soi 5 in Pattaya, Bang Lamung District.

 

The Pattaya City Disaster Relief Centre received the emergency call at 15:05 and immediately dispatched firefighters, police, and rescue personnel to the scene. Upon arrival, they found flames engulfing a cluster of wooden and metal construction homes, with thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Residents were quickly evacuated as firefighters battled to contain the blaze.

 

Despite their efforts, the fire spread rapidly due to the wooden structures acting as fuel. Local volunteers also assisted by bringing water trucks to help extinguish the flames. After an hour of firefighting, authorities managed to bring the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading further. However, the damage was already severe, with three homes completely destroyed.

 

A heart-wrenching scene unfolded as homeowners returned to find their belongings reduced to ashes. One resident, 34-year-old Ratri Nuyiam, was inconsolable upon seeing the remains of her home. She revealed that she was away when the fire started and had no idea what caused it. Her family, along with three others, had lived in the affected houses, leaving multiple families homeless.

 

Police and forensic investigators were called in to examine the site and determine the exact cause of the fire. Initial assessments suggest that an electrical short circuit may have been to blame, though further investigations are ongoing.

 

Authorities are now working with local organisations to provide emergency assistance to those affected, as residents struggle to come to terms with the devastating loss of their homes and possessions.

 

-- 2025-02-15

 

 

I witnessed the gigantic plume of smoke and assumed it was Pattaya's contribution to the Clean Air Campaign which is NOT sweeping Thailand at the moment.