Pictures courtesy of Daily News

 

A repair worker was killed and two others seriously injured after an explosion inside a drainage pipe outside a well-known shopping centre in Sri Racha district, Chonburi province. The blast occurred on 21 December 2025 while welding work was under way, prompting emergency services to cordon off the area. One of the injured was a customer who was seriously injured after being caught in the explosion.

 

Police said the incident was reported to Sri Racha Police Station, with investigators confirming a suspected gas build up or leak inside the drainage system. Lt Col Sitthichai Thonphui, Deputy Investigation Superintendent at Sri Racha Police Station, led the initial response. Rescue teams, municipal disaster prevention officers, volunteer rescuers from Sawang Prateep Sri Racha, and on-duty doctors from Samitivej Sriracha Hospital attended the scene.

 

The explosion caused significant damage to the concrete surface around the drainage opening at the front of the shopping centre in Moo 5, Surasak subdistrict. At the mouth of the drain, officers found a seriously injured man later identified as Samart Muendon, aged 35. He suffered severe blast injuries, including a traumatic wound that severed part of his right leg and was given first aid before being taken to hospital.

 

Inside the drainage pipe, approximately four metres below ground, rescuers recovered the body of another worker. He was identified as Tinpat Wongma, aged 30, who died at the scene after falling into the pipe following the blast. A customer who happened to be nearby was also injured by the explosion and was taken for medical treatment, with police confirming the injuries were serious.

 

A department store employee who witnessed the incident told police that four welding technicians had arrived together to carry out repairs. They were assigned to different tasks, including welding drain covers and grease traps around the premises. The two men who were killed and injured were working on the drain cover at the explosion site when sparks from the welding reportedly fell into the pipe.

 

According to the witness, the sparks immediately triggered a powerful blast that erupted from inside the drainage system. The force threw the injured worker clear of the opening, while the deceased worker was blown into the drain. Emergency services then secured the area due to concerns about further danger.

 

Daily News reported that authorities said the initial assessment suggests a build-up or leakage of gas inside the shopping centre’s drainage system. Officials sealed off the location and conducted a detailed forensic and safety investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Police said findings from the investigation will be used to conclude the case.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• A welding worker was killed and two others seriously injured in a drainage explosion on 21 December 2025 in Sri Racha.

• Police believe sparks from welding ignited gas inside a four-metre-deep drainage pipe outside a shopping centre.

• The site has been sealed off while authorities conduct a detailed investigation into the cause.

 

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 Adapted  by  Asean Now from Dailynews 2025-12-22

 

 

I keep waiting for an explosion at one of the sewer grates in Pattaya.  The ones just before Walking Street are particularly foul. 

Poor man/men. Just doing their job. Does anyone more knowledgeable than me know how that could happen? Is it a build up of methane gas or something? Thailand doesn't have mains gas does it?