Gym Floor Collapse Kills Husband and Wife Workers in Trang

Picture courtesy of Khaosod

A floor collapse inside a municipal gymnasium in Trang province sent a boom lift crashing through concrete, killing two construction workers, a husband and wife, on Monday morning, 9 February. The incident occurred at around 10.30am at the 4,000-seat gymnasium at Thung Chaeng Sports Stadium, prompting a large emergency response. Both victims suffered critical injuries after being thrown from the aerial platform and were later pronounced dead at hospital.

Police said the collapse happened while work was under way inside the gymnasium, which belongs to Trang Municipality. A self-propelled articulated boom lift was operating on the concrete sports surface when the floor and precast concrete slabs beneath it failed. The platform fell through to the lower floor, which houses table tennis rooms, causing the cage to swing violently and eject the workers.

The victims were identified as Ms Suwali, aged 27 and Mr Sarawut, aged 32, who were married and working together on the site. Rescue teams found both unconscious with severe injuries, and neither had a detectable pulse at the scene. Emergency responders performed CPR before rushing them to Trang Hospital, where both were later pronounced dead.

Initial inspections found the boom lift, a Genie Z-80/60, weighing approximately 17 tonnes, had been in use inside the gym since November 2025. At the time of the collapse, the lift was extended to a height of about 10 metres while workers were carrying out electrical and air-conditioning installation. A co-worker told police one wheel fell through first before the floor gave way entirely.

The gymnasium is an older structure currently undergoing renovation as part of a project to upgrade the Trang municipal sports complex to international standards. Construction began on 25 September 2025 and is scheduled to end on 23 May 2026, with a budget of 43.75 million baht. The electrical and air-conditioning work was being carried out by outsourced contractors.

Police from Mueang Trang station, forensic officers and multiple rescue and advanced life support teams attended the scene. Trang mayor Dr Rak Booncharoen visited the site shortly after the incident. Authorities are now investigating the cause of the collapse and examining whether construction safety procedures were properly followed.

Khoasod reported that further structural assessments of the gymnasium will be carried out and police will determine whether any legal action will follow once the investigation is complete.

Key Takeaways

• A gym floor collapse in Trang on 9 February caused a boom lift to fall, killing two workers.

• The victims, aged 27 and 32, were a married couple carrying out electrical and air-conditioning work.

• Authorities are investigating the cause and reviewing construction safety compliance.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khaosod 2026-02-10