Construction Foreman Killed as Collapsing Wall Falls the Wrong Way

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

A construction foreman was killed when a concrete wall, which was being demolished, unexpectedly collapsed in the wrong direction, crushing him beneath the rubble.

The incident occurred at around 09:30 on 26 March, in Soi Song Phi Nong, near a well-known shopping centre in Samrong Nuea, Mueang Samut Prakan district. Police from Samrong Nuea Police Station, along with rescue workers, responded to the scene following reports of a fatal incident at a demolition site.

Upon arrival, they found the lifeless body of a male construction worker trapped under debris from the fallen concrete wall. The structure had collapsed onto his head and torso, leaving him with fatal injuries. The area was immediately cordoned off while investigators collected evidence and documented the scene. The collapsed wall was part of a market fence being demolished to prepare the ground for redevelopment.

Footage from a nearby CCTV camera captured the moment of the incident at 09:17. Locals reported hearing a loud crash and rushed to the scene. Video clips taken by witnesses showed the victim trapped under the rubble. Despite efforts to free him, he had already succumbed to his injuries.

According to Mr. Decha, a contractor who arrived after the collapse, the deceased was Mr. Chatchai 43, the foreman overseeing the demolition. He had been working with three migrant labourers at the site.

Ms. Wanwisa, a co-worker of the deceased, recounted the moment:

“There were four of us working. The wall was supposed to fall in the opposite direction, but something went wrong, and it came down on his side. The other three managed to jump out of the way in time, but he wasn’t able to escape. Yesterday, we were demolishing it as usual, and nothing happened. It must have been a miscalculation.”

Police have taken the three surviving workers in for questioning at Samrong Nuea Police Station as part of their investigation into the cause of the incident. Authorities are expected to determine whether negligence played a role.

-- 2025-03-27