Samut Prakan: Woman Dies in House Fire, Niece Escapes by Jumping from Window

[Georgealbert]

Pictures from responders.

 

A fire in Samut Prakan claimed the life of a 47-year-old woman while her 12-year-old niece managed a harrowing escape by leaping from a second-storey window.

 

The incident occurred at around 10:30 on 6 April in Soi Chumchon Bang Ping, off Srinakarin Road, in Bang Mueang subdistrict. Police Lieutenant Suphawit Keerirat, an investigator from Mueang Samut Prakan Police Station, received reports of a house fire and immediately coordinated with local fire services from the Bang Mueang Municipality.

 

 

Upon arrival, firefighters found a two-storey home, partly concrete and partly wooden, engulfed in flames. Large quantities of stored recyclable materials and household items outside the house had caught fire and fuelled the blaze, which rapidly spread into the main structure. Fire crews battled the inferno for more than 30 minutes before managing to contain it.

 

After the flames were extinguished, authorities discovered the charred body of Ms. Sumalee 47, near the staircase on the second floor. Her body showed extensive burns.

 

According to her 12-year-old niece, four people lived in the house, but her mother and grandfather had gone out to work that morning. The girl had been sleeping upstairs with her aunt when she awoke to the smell of smoke. Upon investigation, she found that a pile of recycled rubbish stored outside had caught fire.

She alerted her aunt, urging her to escape. However, her aunt, who was reportedly unwell and suffering from muscular weakness, initially dismissed the blaze as a minor grass fire. Moments later, as the flames surged through the house and blocked the front exit, the girl made the desperate decision to jump from a second-floor window to safety.

 

Her aunt tried to escape, but the fire had already spread too far. Neighbours reported hearing her screams for help, but no one could reach her due to the intensity of the blaze. Within minutes, her voice fell silent.

 

A local bus driver, who had been repairing his vehicle across the street, said he heard an explosion and came outside to witness the fire raging through the home. He also heard Ms. Sumalee’s cries for help but was unable to assist due to the ferocity of the flames.

 

The niece speculated that the fire may have started from a mosquito coil that her aunt had lit and then discarded from the upper floor, possibly still smouldering when it landed in the pile of rubbish.

 

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire. Forensic investigators have been called to examine the scene and determine the official cause of the blaze.

 

-- 2025-04-07

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Thick black smoke implies a lot of rubber such as tyres were piled there. 

[Georgealbert]

55 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

Thick black smoke implies a lot of rubber such as tyres were piled there. 

Could be rubber, but thick smoke can be produced by many things and is normal produced because of incomplete combustion, where carbon particles (soot) are produced instead of being fully oxidised in the blaze. Large quantities of tightly stacked items, do not allow enough oxygen to complete the fire process.

 

Other items that result in thick black smoke are;

 

Plastics (especially PVC or other chlorinated plastics).

Oils and greases.

Wood with high moisture content or low-quality wood, wet wood or poorly seasoned wood.

Synthetic fabrics, such as nylon and polyester.

[Tarteso]