Pictures courtesy of SiamRath 

 

A pickup truck carrying more than 40 LPG cylinders overturned and burst into flames near That Don Tun School in Ban Ya, Nong Han district, Udon Thani, at around 10.30 on 8 December 2025. The crash triggered repeated explosions as cylinders were scattered across the road, forcing motorists and nearby residents to flee the area. The driver, 71-year-old Boonthong Sitthiprapha, escaped the vehicle but suffered burn injuries and was rushed to Nong Han Hospital.

 

Emergency responders from the Ban Ya Subdistrict Administrative Organisation provided initial medical assistance before fire crews from Ban Ya, Nong Sa Pla, and Ban Chiang arrived to fight the blaze. Firefighters took more than an hour to bring the flames under control as explosions continued from the burning cylinders. Traffic police from Nong Han Police Station and Sawang Metha rescue volunteers also helped manage traffic and secure the scene.

 

Police said the pickup, a white Toyota registered in Udon Thani, had been transporting around 40 cooking-gas cylinders collected earlier in Sawang Daen Din and destined for a shop in Chaiwan district. Investigators were told that the vehicle suffered a tyre blowout, causing the driver to lose control and overturn on Road 2 (Udon Thani–Sakon Nakhon). The force of the crash caused cylinders to spill across the road and into roadside drainage, intensifying the fire risk.

 

Witnesses recorded video showing jets of flames and loud explosions and BLEVEs (boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions) as motorists reversed away from the burning vehicle. Local officials warned that crashes involving gas-transport vehicles pose severe hazards, especially in community areas. They credited the rapid multi-agency response with preventing wider damage and further casualties.

 

SaimRath reported that authorities from Nong Han Police Station and local administrative unit examined the scene to determine the precise cause of the crash. Their findings are expected to guide future safety recommendations for vehicles transporting hazardous materials. The driver remains under medical care as officials monitor his condition.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• A pickup transporting more than 40 LPG cylinders overturned in Udon Thani, causing multiple explosions and destroying the vehicle.

• Driver Boonthong Sitthiprapha, 71, escaped but sustained burn injuries and was taken to Nong Han Hospital.

• Police are investigating the cause of the crash to inform future safety measures on hazardous-goods transport.

 

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 Adapted  by  Asean Now from Siamrath 2025-12-09

 

 

40 LPG containers in the back of a pickup truck - a disaster just waiting to happen. I hope he recovers and they charge him with dangerous driving and whatever else they can throw at the ah**le.  That could have easily killed or badly injured a load of people - no excuse.