Thai Airways Pilot Dies In Attempt To Rescue Wife From Blaze

[webfact]

Pilot dies in attempt to rescue wife from blaze

Noppadol Srithaweekard,

Arunrat Chanpit

The Nation

After jumping from the second floor of his blazing home in Chatuchak district yesterday, a Thai Airways pilot ran right back into the inferno to rescue his wife - but was engulfed by flames and died even as she saved herself by also leaping.

Police found Narong Tantijattananont, 53, burned to death with a fire extinguisher held tightly in his hand on the stairs to the upper floor.

Narong's wife Jongkolnee, 52, the director of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority's Bang Khen office, sustained a broken leg, spine injury and head wound.

She was taken to Mayo Hospital while their son Mark, 23, who had jumped with his father, was being treated at Vibhavadi Hospital for a shoulder injury.

Police and firemen at 5am rushed to the residence in the Yoocharoen Estate on Phaholyothin Soi 40 and took an hour to extinguish the fire, which started on the first floor and quickly spread to the second.

Police were investigating the cause of the conflagration that destroyed the whole house and a car in the garage.

Samit Chanthanop, 33, said he smelled something burning and then spotted flames rising from his neighbour's ground floor at 4.40am. After calling police, he and other neighbours sprinted to the house with fire extinguishers but couldn't pass through the locked gate.

Then they saw Narong and his son jumping off the second floor and the son was hurt. Narong grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran back into the house, but Jongkolnee then followed by falling from the second floor.

The neighbours sent the injured to hospitals but never saw Narong come back out.

-- The Nation 2012-01-24

[South]

Very sad. RIP Mr Tantijattananon.

[GentlemanJim]

Very sad. RIP Mr Tantijattananon.

+1 a very brave man. Very sad indeed.

[bobl]

RIP Sir...

The world needs more people like Mr Tantijattananont.

[Mario2008]

A sad tragedy. May he rest in peace.

[marioc]

Brave and......unlucky indeed!

R.I.P.

[BookMan]

That's true love for you.

[Orgathai]

a true love from a true hero

[Suetape]

Very sad. My prayers go out to the family

[Commentor]

RIP. That a true hero, loving husband and father.

[wintermute]

No cynicism from me on this one. That's true dedication and love for someone right there. It's sad it turned out the way it did though.

[sawadeeken]

A very brave man, unlike a certain 'Cruise-ship' Captain who has been in the news alot lately.

Wishing the wife and son a swift recovery and strength to deal with the loss of such a wonderful husband and father.

May he RIP....................

[transam]

Yep, RIP Capt. You were one of the few. T/A

[mrtoad]

Very sad, a very brave man.

[cdnvic]

Troll post and replies to it removed.

[Berkshire]

Wow, very impressed with the responses to this thread. (unless the mod has already deleted the wackos) Agree with the sentiments expressed here. Not much else to say except RIP to the brave man who gave his life.

[NastyNick]

After reading this, I am walking out to buy a few smoke detectors, kept putting it off.